Collisional destruction of fast H sub 3 sup + ions in noble gases

We have measured the total destruction cross sections for H{sub 3}{sup +} ions colliding with He, Ne, Ar, and Xe atoms in the velocity range from 2.5 to 7 atomic units (470 to 3700 keV). The collisional destruction cross section of D{sub 3}{sup +} ions by Ar atoms was also measured, and was found to be comparable to the H{sub 3}{sup +} values. The cross-section data were analyzed in two different ways. It was first established in a strictly empirical way that the cross sections for all noble gases may be scaled, in the energy range studied, by velocity-independent factors. In addition, the data were found to be suitably fitted by a semiempirical version of the free-collision model of Meron and Johnson (Phys. Rev. A 41, 1365 (1990)).