IONIC COLLISION PROCESSES IN GASEOUS NITROGEN

Those collision processes in nitrogen leading to the production of N 3+, N2+, and N+ are examined. For N3+ production the specific reaction rate as well as the lifetime of the metastable precursor ion are evaluated. Cross-section measurements for N+ production indicate that under the experimental conditions employed collisional dissociation of the molecular ion is the predominant mechanism. The shape of the symmetrical charge-transfer cross-section curve obtained here agrees well with that derived from calculations based on the impact parameter treatment for N2 + impact energies above 20 eV. Differences between the experimental and theoretical curves below 20 eV are probably caused by experimental effects.