Production and properties of dipole-bound negative ions

Hassan Abdoul‐Carime, J. P. Schermann, C. Desfrançois

S. P. Andreev, Vladimir A. Polunin

ALFRED Z. MSEZANE, Z. Felfli, D. Sokolovski

L. Suess

Low-energy electron transfer in collisions between a Rydberg atom and a target molecule can result in the formation of negative ions. Depending as to the properties of the target molecule the electron may be bound in a localized molecular orbital (valence-bound) or bound by its dipole potential in a diffuse orbital located at the positive end of the dipole (dipole-bound). Here we examine the properties of valence-bound and dipole-bound negative ions created through electron transfer in collision with Rydberg atoms, in particular, their lifetimes, collisional properties and electric-field-induced detachment characteristics. Intercomparison of the various data also leads to new insights into electron attachment to molecules that can support both valence-bound and dipole-bound negative ion states.

J. D. Sankey, Alan A. Madej

R. Parthasarathy, L. Suess, Yan Liu +1 more

Collisional studies using velocity- and n-selected Rydberg atoms show that the properties of dipole-bound negative ions formed by electron transfer at low-to-intermediate n are not influenced by post-attachment interactions. The behavior contrasts that observed with targets that form valence-bound negative ions and provides a new signature pointing to the creation of dipole-bound negative ions.