Direct Measurement of Charge Transfer Probability during Photodissociation of Few-keV OD+ Beam.

We have measured the photodissociation of few-keV OD+ molecular ions into either D+ + O or O+ + D final products. The three-dimensional momentum imaging measurements of the light and massive fragments in coincidence were enabled by using an upgraded two-detector setup. In this work, we show that absorption of a single 790 or 395 nm photon excites the OD+ from its electronic ground state to the B Σ-3 state, which dissociates to the O+(4S) + D dissociation limit. To reach the other nearly degenerate dissociation limit, D+ + O(3P), a unimolecular charge transfer, B Σ-3 to X Σ-3, transition is required following the same photoexcitation. The measured branching ratio of these dissociation channels is a direct measure of the charge transfer transition probability. This measured probability as a function of energy above the dissociation limit agrees well with our calculations.

Efficiency of charge transfer in changing the dissociation dynamics of OD+ transients formed after the photo-fragmentation of D2O.

We present an investigation of the relaxation dynamics of deuterated water molecules after direct photo-double ionization at 61 eV. We focus on the very rare D+ + O+ + D reaction channel in which the sequential fragmentation mechanisms were found to dominate the dynamics. Aided by theory, the state-selective formation and breakup of the transient OD+(a1Δ, b1Σ+) is traced, and the most likely dissociation path-OD+: a1Δ or b1Σ+ → A 3Π â†’ X 3Σ- → B 3Σ--involving a combination of spin-orbit and non-adiabatic charge transfer transitions is determined. The multi-step transition probability of this complex transition sequence in the intermediate fragment ion is directly evaluated as a function of the energy of the transient OD+ above its lowest dissociation limit from the measured ratio of the D+ + O+ + D and competing D+ + D+ + O sequential fragmentation channels, which are measured simultaneously. Our coupled-channel time-dependent dynamics calculations reproduce the general trends of these multi-state relative transition rates toward the three-body fragmentation channels.

Atomic autoionization in the photo-dissociation of super-excited deuterated water molecules fragmenting into D+ + O+ + D.

We present the relaxation dynamics of deuterated water molecules via autoionization, initiated by the absorption of a 61 eV photon, producing the very rare D+ + O+ + D breakup channel. We employ the COLd target recoil ion momentum spectroscopy method to measure the 3D momenta of the ionic fragments and emitted electrons from the dissociating molecule in coincidence. We interpret the results using the potential energy surfaces extracted from multi-reference configuration interaction calculations. The measured particle energy distributions can be related to a super-excited monocationic state located above the double ionization threshold of D2O. The autoionized electron energy shows a sharp distribution centered around 0.5 eV, which is a signature of the atomic oxygen autoionization occurring in the direct and sequential dissociation processes of D2O+* at a large internuclear distance. In this way, an O+ radical fragment and a low-energy electron are created, both of which can trigger secondary reactions in their environment.

Signatures of bond formation and bond scission dynamics in dissociative electron attachment to methane.

We present a combined experimental and theoretical investigation of the dynamics and angular dependence of dissociative electron attachment to methane. We show that a triply degenerate (T2) Feshbach resonance is responsible for the broad 10 eV dissociation peak in methane. This resonance alone is shown to correlate asymptotically to the various dissociation channels observed experimentally. The molecular-frame entrance amplitude for electron attachment is calculated for each component of the threefold degenerate resonance. By investigating the topology of the anion potential energy surfaces, we deduce the main pathways to two- and three-body breakup channels involving both bond scission and bond formation. The computed fragment angular distributions reproduce the main trends of the experimental measurements.

Scattering matrix approach to the dissociative recombination of HCO+ and N2H+.

We present a theoretical study of the indirect dissociative recombination of linear polyatomic ions at low collisional energies. The approach is based on the computation of the scattering matrix just above the ionization threshold and enables the explicit determination of all diabatic electronic couplings responsible for dissociative recombination. In addition, we use the multi-channel quantum-defect theory to demonstrate the precision of the scattering matrix by reproducing accurately ab initio Rydberg state energies of the neutral molecule. We consider the molecular ions N2H(+) and HCO(+) as benchmark systems of astrophysical interest and improve former theoretical studies, which had repeatedly produced smaller cross sections than experimentally measured. Specifically, we demonstrate the crucial role of the previously overlooked stretching modes for linear polyatomic ions with large permanent dipole moment. The theoretical cross sections for both ions agree well with experimental data over a wide energy range. Finally, we consider the potential role of the HOC(+) isomer in the experimental cross sections of HCO(+) at energies below 10 meV.

Electron diffraction self-imaging of molecular fragmentation in two-step double ionization of water.

We doubly ionize H(2)O by single photon absorption at 43 eV leading to H(+) + OH(+). A direct double ionization and a sequential process in which single ionization is followed by rapid dissociation into a proton and an autoionizing OH(*) are identified. The angular distribution of this delayed autoionization electron shows a preferred emission in the direction of the emitted proton. From this diffraction feature we obtain internuclear distances of 700 to 1100 a.u. at which the autoionization of the OH(*) occurs. The experimental findings are in line with calculations of the excited potential energy surfaces and their lifetimes.

Dissociative attachment to ClCN and BrCN.

We present calculated dissociative attachment cross sections for ClCN and BrCN in the 0-20 eV energy range. In this energy region, both Cl(-)Br(-) and CN(-) fragments are possible and are produced via dissociation along repulsive resonance curves. Electron scattering calculations, using the complex Kohn variational method and molecular structure calculations, were used to determine the three-dimensional surfaces and resonance parameters. The nuclear dynamics was studied in one, two, and three dimensions using time-dependent wave packet methods, employing the multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree method for multiple dimensions. The calculated cross sections are reported and compared to the available experiments. Couplings between resonance states will also be examined and discussed.

Dynamics of low-energy electron attachment to formic acid.

Low-energy electrons (<2 eV) can fragment gas phase formic acid (HCOOH) molecules through resonant dissociative attachment processes. Recent experiments have shown that the principal reaction products of such collisions are formate ions (HCOO-) and hydrogen atoms. Using first-principles electron scattering calculations, we have identified the responsible negative ion state as a transient pi* anion. Symmetry considerations dictate that the associated dissociation dynamics are intrinsically polyatomic: a second anion surface, connected to the first by a conical intersection, is involved in the dynamics and the transient anion must necessarily deform to nonplanar geometries before it can dissociate to the observed stable products.