STATE-SELECTED RYDBERG ELECTRON-ATTACHMENT TO SULFUR-HEXAFLUORIDE CLUSTERS AT DIFFERENT COLLISION ENERGIES

Rate constants for negative-ion formation have been measured for the electron transfer reactions between state-selected Rydberg atoms and sulfur hexafluoride clusters at various collision energies. At low values of the principal quantum number of the Rydberg atoms, post-attachment interactions not only lead to Coulombic complex formation and internal to translational energy exchange, but also to a new effect which corresponds to an evaporative process due to the influence of the positive atomic core upon the negative clusters.