An intercomparison technique for measuring thermal attachment cross sections and rate constants in distinct final channels

Abstract

A new technique is introduced for comparing negative-ion signal rates in which a common ion is produced by dissociative attachment in a series of molecules. Measurements are carried out at electron energies less than 100 MeV and at resolutions of 6-8 MeV (FWHM). The technique is demonstrated by detection of the Cl(-) signal in CFCl3, CCl4, CF2Cl2, 1,1,2-C2Cl3F3, 1,1,1-C2Cl3F3 and C2Cl4. Measurements for 1,1,1-C2Cl3F3 show that there is a significant open channel, other than Cl(-) formation, which accounts for about 60 percent of negative-ion formation in thermal-multiple-collision (swarm) experiments. Channel cross sections and rate constants are given for the process Cl(-)/1,1,1-Cl2Cl3F3, as well as in C2Cl4, for the separate channels Cl(-)/C2Cl4 and C2Cl4(-)/C2Cl4.