Dhananjay Nandi

Fragmentation dynamics in dissociative electron attachment to CO probed by velocity slice imaging

Complete dissociation dynamics in electron attachment to carbon monoxide (CO) have been studied using the newly developed velocity slice imaging (VSI) technique. Both kinetic energy and angular distributions of O(-) ions formed by dissociative electron attachment (DEA) to CO molecules have been measured for 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11, and 11.5 eV incident electron energies around the resonance. Detailed observations conclusively show that two separate DEA reactions lead to the formation of O(-) ions in the ground (2)P state along with the neutral C atoms in the ground (3)P state and the first excited (1)D state, respectively. Within the axial recoil approximation and involving four partial waves, our angular distribution results clearly indicate that the two reactions leading to O(-) formation proceed through the specific resonant state(s). For the first process, more than one intermediate state is involved. On the other hand, for the second process, only one state is involved. The observed forward-backward asymmetry is explained in terms of the interference between the different partial waves that are involved in the processes.

Complete data acquisition and analysis system for low-energy electron–molecule collision studies

A complete data acquisition system has been developed that can work with any personal computer irrespective of the operating system installed on it. The software can be used in low and intermediate electron-energy collision studies with ground-state molecules in gas phase using a combination of RS-232, GPIB, and USB-interfaced devices. Various tabletop instruments and nuclear instrumentation module (NIM) -based electronics have been interfaced and have communicated with the software, which is based on LabVIEW. This is tested with dissociative electron attachment (DEA) and polar dissociation studies to oxygen molecule and successfully used in a DEA study of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.

Dipolar dissociation dynamics in electron collisions with carbon monoxide.

Dipolar dissociation processes in the electron collisions with carbon monoxide have been studied using time of flight (TOF) mass spectroscopy in combination with the highly differential velocity slice imaging (VSI) technique. By probing ion-pair states, both positive and/or negative ions may be detected. The ion yield curve of negative ions provides the threshold energy for the ion-pair production. On the other hand, the kinetic energy distributions and angular distributions of the fragment anion provide detailed dynamics of the dipolar dissociation process. Two ion-pair states have been identified based on angular distribution measurements using the VSI technique.

A new time of flight mass spectrometer for absolute dissociative electron attachment cross-section measurements in gas phase

A new time of flight mass spectrometer (TOFMS) has been developed to study the absolute dissociative electron attachment (DEA) cross section using a relative flow technique of a wide variety of molecules in gas phase, ranging from simple diatomic to complex biomolecules. Unlike the Wiley-McLaren type TOFMS, here the total ion collection condition has been achieved without compromising the mass resolution by introducing a field free drift region after the lensing arrangement. The field free interaction region is provided for low energy electron molecule collision studies. The spectrometer can be used to study a wide range of masses (H- ion to few hundreds atomic mass unit). The mass resolution capability of the spectrometer has been checked experimentally by measuring the mass spectra of fragment anions arising from DEA to methanol. Overall performance of the spectrometer has been tested by measuring the absolute DEA cross section of the ground state SO2 molecule, and the results are satisfactory.

Dissociative electron attachment to CO molecule probed by velocity slice imaging technique

We have studied dissociative electron attachment to CO molecule using the well-established velocity slice imaging spectrometer. We have conclusively determined the symmetries of the TNI states involved in both the channels producing O− ions. In contrast to a recent report, we observed additional forwards lobes in the angular distribution data and we claim there is no need to invoke coherent interference between different states as introduced previously. Recent R-matrix calculations and momentum imaging study by other groups strongly support our claims.