ANGULAR DISTRIBUTION OF PROTONS FROM COLLISIONAL DISSOCIATION OF H+2 .I.

The theory of the angular distribution of H2+ dissociation fragments resulting from H2+ collisions with neutral or charged targets is developed in the Born approximation. Earlier formulations of the problem are corrected and generalized. Calculations of the angular distributions for collisions which leave the H2+ in the 2pu, 2sg, and 2pu electronic states are carried out for He and Ar targets. It is assumed that the target either remains in its ground electronic state or undergoes an allowed transition. It is shown that the angular distributions vary considerably with the final H2+ electronic state considered, with the final kinetic energy of the H2+ fragments, with the final state of the target, and with the H2+ impact energy. Angular distributions for transitions to highly excited and ionized states of H2+ are considered in a qualitative way. © 1969 The American Physical Society.