Highly Excited States of Hydrogen Molecules. II.H3

Abstract

Highly excited principal quantum states of ${\mathrm{H}}_3$ molecules formed by electron-capture collisions of ${\mathrm{H}}_3^{+}$ in ${\mathrm{H}}_2$ gas have been observed. An intense electric field was used to strip the orbital electron from the excited ${\mathrm{H}}_3$. Comparisons with data obtained with excited ${\mathrm{H}}_2$ indicates that the fraction of ${\mathrm{H}}_3$ ionized was proportional to the $\frac{3}{4}$ power of the electrostatic-stripping field.