Experimental Cross Section for Photodetachment of Electrons fromH−andD−

Abstract

The photodetachment of electrons from atomic hydrogen negative ions has been studied, and the integrated cross section measured by using the radiation from a tungsten filament at 3300°K in a modulated crossed-beam experiment. The wavelength dependence of the cross section is measured from 4000 to about 9000 A by using sharp-cut glass filters. The ratio of the experimental integrated cross section to the value predicted theoretically by Chandrasekhar is 1.01, with a 2 percent reproducibility and 10 percent upper limit to the systematic errors.