Signatures of Interatomic-Coulombic-Decay in electron-impact ionization of argon dimers

Abstract

SynopsisWe study electron-impact induced dissociation of small argon clusters at a projectile energy of 120 eV. Kinetic-energy-release (KER) spectra for the final charge states 2Ar+, Ar+ + Ar2+ and Ar2+ + Ar+ of the Ar2 and Ar3 parent species and electron energies have been measured together with angular distributions of fragment ions. They are used to identify dissociation mechanisms such as Interatomic-Coulombic-Decay (ICD).