Charge transfer reactions of atomic ions with polyatomic molecules

Abstract

A time‐of‐flight technique has been used to measure the fast neutral Ar⁰ products from charge transfer reactions of Ar⁺(²P_1/2, ²P_3/2) ions with neutral CO₂, CH₄, C₂H₄, and C₂H₆ molecules. Reaction cross sections were found to be independent of the electron energy (from threshold to 100 eV) used to produce reactant ion beams and indicates that essentially all the Ar⁺ ions in the experimental apparatus are in the ground ²P state prior to reaction. (AIP)