Dissociation of Molecular Ions by Electric and Magnetic Fields

Abstract

A general discussion of the dissociation of diatomic molecules and molecular ions by electric fields is presented. These calculations pertain primarily to the ground electronic states of the molecular systems. The ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{+}$ ion is treated in considerable detail; the required fields for the dissociation range from ${10}^{5}$ v/cm for the uppermost vibrational state to 2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{8}$ v/cm for the ground state. The many-electron homonuclear ions are treated in successive charge states. The H${\mathrm{D}}^{+}$, H${\mathrm{T}}^{+}$, HD, Li${\mathrm{H}}^{+}$, and Li${\mathrm{H}}^{++}$ heteronuclear ions are considered. The dissociation of homonuclear ions and heteronuclear ions exhibit distinctly different features. The H${\mathrm{D}}^{+}$ and H${\mathrm{T}}^{+}$ ions are more susceptible to discussion than is ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{+}$. The extent to which the dissociation by an electrostatic field and by the Lorentz force, $e\mathrm{v}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathrm{B}$, are equivalent is considered. The rates of induced dipole transitions to lower vibrational states can be made negligibly small compared with the dissociation rates. The application of this work to particle accelerators and to the injection problem for fusion devices is discussed.