Field ionization of high-Rydberg fragments produced after inner-shell photoexcitation and photoionization of the methane molecule

• We have studied the production of neutral high-Rydberg (HR) fragments from the CH4 molecule at the C 1s -> 3p excitation and at the C 1s ionization threshold. Neutral fragments in HR states were ionized using a pulsed electric field and the resulting ions were mass-analyzed using an ion time-of-flight spectrometer. The atomic fragments C(HR) and H(HR) dominated the spectra, but molecular fragments CHx(HR), x = 1-3, and H-2(HR) were also observed. The production of HR fragments is attributed to dissociation of CH4+ and CH42+ ions in HR states. Just above the C 1s ionization threshold, such molecular ionic states are created when the C 1s photoelectron is recaptured after single or double Auger decay. Similar HR states may be reached directly following resonant Auger decay at the C 1s -> 3p resonance. The energies and geometries of the parent and fragment ions have been calculated in order to gain insight into relevant dissociation pathways. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Fysikalisk kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Physical Chemistry (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

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