Total and state-selective capture by slow N2+ions in atomic and molecular hydrogen

Abstract

Translational energy spectroscopy of a tungsten tube furnace has been used to identify the main collision channels for electron capture by N2+ ions in atomic hydrogen. The results have been used in conjunction with total electron capture cross sections measured in a parallel experiment to determine cross sections for capture into the 3Do, 3Po, 1Do and 3P states of N+ in the range 0.6-8 keV. The observations are shown to be consistent with recent theoretical predictions by Dalgarno et al. (1984) for the 3Do product channel. Total cross sections for one-electron capture by N2+ in both H and H2 have been determined in the range 0.6-200 keV and a simple beam attenuation technique has been used to investigate the influence of metastable N2+ (4P) ions in the primary beam.