Temperature dependence of electron attachment to methylene chloride

Abstract

Temperature dependence of dissociative electron attachment to methylene chloride in the electron energy range of 0–10 eV was studied in a high-temperature electron swarm apparatus. The measurements were made using N2 and Ar as buffer gases. From the measured electron attachment rate constants, the electron attachment cross sections at 300, 400, and 500 K were determined using an unfolding technique. The maximum electron attachment cross sections at 300, 400, and 500 K were ≈3.1×10−18, ≈8.2×10−18, and ≈1.7×10−17 cm2, and occurred at electron energies of ≈0.8, ≈0.65, and ≈0.55 eV, respectively. The increase in electron attachment to methylene chloride with temperature is attributed to the increase in the vibrational energy of the molecule.