Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol.113, No.19, 8561-8566, 2000
Collision-induced dissociation dynamics in O-2(+)+Ne(Ar) collisions: The role of electronic excitation
Integral collision-induced dissociation (CID) cross sections at center-of-mass (CM) energies ranging from threshold to 22 eV and product ion recoil velocity distributions are presented for O-2(+)+Ne(Ar) collisions. The O-2(+) ions are produced in an electron impact ion source and thus have similar to0.5 eV of vibrational energy. The O-2(+)+Ne CID cross sections are observed at energies below the 0 K thermodynamic threshold of 6.66 eV, implying the possibility of significant vibrational effects. A second CID threshold is apparent at 9 +/-1 eV. This is close to the charge-transfer (CT) threshold energy. No CT products are observed. The O-2(+)+Ar CID cross section rises rapidly above a relative translational energy onset of 7.5 +/-0.2 eV and reaches a maximum value of similar to0.8 Angstrom (2) at 14 eV (CM). A CT onset of 6.0 +/-0.2 eV is observed which is close to the thermodynamic threshold for CID. The energy dependence of the CT cross section is very similar to the CID cross section except for a small step at energies where CID becomes efficient. The CID recoil velocity distributions near threshold are centered at the CM velocity and shift to forward preference at higher energies. The O-2(+)+Ar CT recoil velocities are forward scattered near threshold and become centered with respect to the CM velocity at energies where competition with CID is apparent.