Communication: Imaging the indirect dissociation dynamics of temporary negative ion: N 2O - → N 2 O -

Abstract

We reported an imaging study of the dissociation dynamics of temporary negative ion N 2O - formed in the low-energy electron attachment, e - N 2O → N 2O - → N 2 O -. With the help of ab initio molecular dynamics calculations, the evolution of momentum distributions of the O - fragment in terms of the electron attachment energy is identified as the result of a competition between two distinctly different indirect pathways, namely, climbing over and bypassing the energy ridge after the molecular structure bending. These two pathways prefer leaving the N 2 fragment at the high vibrational and rotational states, respectively. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.