Neutral fragmentation of superexcited oxygen molecules

• The mechanisms of neutral dissociation of oxygen molecules in the excitation energy range 15-25 eV have been studied in a dispersed fluorescence experiment. By detecting the fluorescence from excited oxygen atoms, we find that neutral superexcited O-2 states below 20 eV dissociate into O(g.s.) + O(3s,3p). At higher excitation energies (h nu = 20-25 eV) the curve-crossing interactions following excitations to members of the Rydberg c (4)Sigma(u)(-) series also yield atoms in Rydberg states (nl,n greater than or equal to 4). The experimental data are analyzed on the ground of many-body perturbation theory, calculations which indicate the structure of the predissociating states converging to the experimentally observed ones.

Nyckelord

electron-impact dissociation

doubly-excited resonances

o-2

o2

photodissociation

state

photoionization

fluorescence

emission

valence

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