Ionic photofragmentation and photoionization of dimethyl ether in the VUV and soft X-ray regions (8.5–80 eV) – absolute oscillator strengths for molecular and dissociative photoionization

Abstract

The branching ratios for molecular and dissociative photoionization of dimethyl ether (CH 3OCH 3, DME) have been measured in the VUV and soft X-ray regions using dipole (e,e+ion) coincidence spectroscopy (∼1 eV FWHM) at equivalent photon energies from the first ionization threshold up to 80 eV. The absolute partial oscillator strengths (cross-sections) for molecular and dissociative photoionization have been determined from recently published absolute photoabsorption oscillator strength data [R. Feng, G. Cooper, C.E. Brion, Chem. Phys. 260 (2000) 391] together with the photoionization branching ratios and the (multi-dissociative-corrected) photoionization efficiency obtained from time-of-flight mass spectra reported in the present work. No stable multiply charged molecular ion(s) from DME have been found in the present work. However, the fact that the photoionization efficiency has been measured as greater than unity above ∼30 eV indicates the existence of multi-dissociative products from Coulomb explosion of multiply charged ions. Appearance potentials of all ion products from DME are also reported. The presently reported results are compared with the previously published data where possible.