Photon Impact Studies of Molecules Using a Mass Spectrometer

Abstract

A vacuum ultraviolet monochromator has been combined with a mass spectrometer, in order to study photoionization processes. A detailed description is given of this instrument. Photoionization efficiency curves for parent and fragment ions from a number of molecules have been measured, using a photon beam with an energy spread of 0.05 ev. It is shown how the results can be interpreted in terms of potential surfaces and electronic transition probabilities. In favorable cases vibrational structure may be resolved.