Charge-transfer induced dissociation in the H+(H2O)3-Ar collisions observed with the COINTOF mass spectrometer

Abstract

Electron-capture in collisions of singly charged protonated water cluster H+(H2O)3, ions with Ar atoms is studied at the impact energy of 8 keV in the frame of the COrrelated Ion and Neutral fragments Time-Of-Flight, COINTOF, technique. In contrast to methods based only on the detection of the charged fragments, dissociation induced by collisional-excitation and electron-capture induced dissociation can be simultaneously recorded in the present set-up. The time of flight measurements of both the neutral and the corresponding charged species resulting from the charge-exchange process provide a direct observation of the dissociation of the neutralized protonated water cluster. Thus, the present COINTOF method provides new valuable insights into the collision process through the detection of produced neutral fragments. Moreover, it opens new possibilities to measure kinetic energy release also in the dissociation of the produced neutrals, which is our future endeavour in the development of the presented COINTOF set up.