Superelastic collisions of electrons with excited Mn +

Abstract

Excited Mn + ions formed by electron ionization of Mn 2(CO) 10 are deexcited in superelastic electron-ion collisions. The ions are held in the trap of a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance spectrometer and subjected to bombardment by an electron beam of varying energy. The population of excited Mn + ions after exposure to the beam is monitored by examining reaction of the trapped Mn + ions with Cr(CO) 6. Charge transfer to form Cr(CO) + 6 is exothermic and efficient only for excited Mn +. It is found that deexcitation is readily observable for electrons with energies less than 2 eV.