Electronic States of H2O+ Produced by Electron Bombardment of H2O

Abstract

The abundance of the electronic states of H₂O⁺ produced by electron bombardment of H₂O vapor in the energy range 12–70 eV have been determined by studying the attenuation of the H₂O⁺ ion beam in nitrous oxide. The ground state (²B₁), the first excited state (²A₁), and probably the second excited state (²B₂) were found to be present, and their abundance was found to be a function of the electron bombarding energy and the water vapor pressure in the ion source.