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Physical Review Letters

Dipole Enhancement of Positron Binding to Molecules

James R. Danielson, J. J. Gosselin, Clifford M. Surko

Published Jun 9, 2010• 89 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Measurements of positron-molecule binding energies are made for molecules with large permanent dipole moments (>2.7 D), by studying vibrational-Feshbach-mediated annihilation resonances as a function of incident positron energy. The binding energies are relatively large (e.g., ≥90 meV) as compared to those for similar sized molecules studied previously and analogous weakly bound electron-molecule (negative ion) states. Comparisons with existing theoretical predictions are discussed.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.104.233201

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Measurements of positron-molecule binding energies are made for molecules with large permanent dipole moments (>2.7 D), by studying vibrational-Feshbach-mediated annihilation resonances as a function of incident positron energy. The binding energies are relatively large (e.g., ≥90 meV) as compared to those for similar sized molecules studied previously and analogous weakly bound electron-molecule (negative ion) states. Comparisons with existing theoretical predictions are discussed.
Measurements of positron-on-molecule annihilation have established that positrons bind to a variety of molecules via vibrational Feshbach resonances. Data for deeply bound states in benzene and 1-chlorohexane and for positronically excited (i.e., second) bound states in alkanes are used to establish the dependence of annihilation rates on the binding energy and incident positron energy. With this dependence removed, annihilation rates for a broad class of molecules lie on a universal curve as a function of the number of molecular vibrational degrees of freedom. The implications of these results for theoretical models are discussed.
Measurements of energy-resolved positron-molecule annihilation show the existence of positron binding and vibrational Feshbach resonances. The existing theory describes this phenomenon successfully for the case of infrared-active vibrational modes that allow dipole coupling between the incident positron and the vibrational motion. Presented here are measurements of positron-molecule annihilation made using a recently developed cryogenic positron beam capable of significantly improved energy resolution. The results provide evidence of resonances associated with infrared-inactive vibrational modes, indicating that positron-molecule bound states may be populated by nondipole interactions. The anticipated ingredients for a theoretical description of such interactions are discussed.
An overview is presented of recent studies of the interaction of low-energy positrons with atoms and molecules using a trap-based positron beam. The beam is tunable from ~100 meV to many electron volts, with a typical energy resolution of 25 meV (FWHM). A variety of scattering processes are investigated using the properties of positron orbits in a spatially varying magnetic field. Recent scattering measurements are reviewed, and new data for electronic excitation, ionization, and positronium formation in noble gases are presented. In a separate set of experiments, positron annihilation below the threshold for positronium formation is studied in molecules as a function of positron energy. The data show large Feshbach resonances in the range of energies of the molecular vibrations. Within the framework of this model, these results provide the first experimental evidence that positrons bind to hydrocarbon molecules.