COLLISIONAL AUTOIONIZATION DYNAMICS OF NE-ASTERISK-CL2

The ionization of Cl2 molecules by collision with Ne* (P-3(2,0)) atoms has been studied in a crossed-beam experiment in the collision energy range from 0.04 to 0.30 eV (1 eV almost-equal-to 1.602 x 10(-14) J). These processes are compared with a study of the ionization of Cl2 Molecules by He I and Ne I photons performed in the same experimental conditions. The same crossed-beam apparatus has been adjusted to measure also the integral elastic cross-sections in the same collision energy range. All these experimental results show that the Ne*-Cl2 collisional processes occur with the formation of an ion-pair [Ne+...Cl2-] intermediate. The dynamics of this intermediate explain why the Cl+ : Cl2+ product ratio is higher than in photoionization processes.