Doubly ionized states of N2O studied by photon-induced Auger electron and double charge transfer spectroscopies

Abstract

The four lowest triplet state energy levels of N 2O2+ have been measured using a modified form of double-charge-transfer spectroscopy. By studying the energetics of the double-electron-capture reactions of 6 keV OH+ ions in collisions with N2O molecules, the lowest triplet state energy levels have been determined to be 36.0+or-0.5, 38.0+or-0.5, 40.9+or-0.5 and 42.0+or-0.5 eV. The singlet state energy levels of the N2O2+ ion have been investigated by means of photon induced Auger electron spectroscopy. The O and N KLL Auger electron spectra have been recorded where the interpretation of the nitrogen spectrum differs greatly from the earlier assignment. Ten distinct structures are observable in the spectra at energies of 37.4+or-0.1, 39.4+or-0.1, 43.1+or-0.1, 43.8+or-0.2, 44.5+or-0.2, 46.7+or-0.2, 47.9+or-0.5, 49.8+or-0.2, 54.0+or-0.5 and 55.4+or-0.2 eV. All structures in both Auger spectra can be assigned in terms of singlet coupled doubly ionized final states. The experimental results have been compared with recent theoretical and experimental data from other laboratories.