ION-IMPACT EXCITATION OF PURE VIBRATIONAL TRANSITIONS IN DIATOMIC MOLECULES

An ion-impact spectrometer has been constructed to measure the energy loss of ions inelastically scattered without charge exchange from molecular targets. Pure vibrational transitions excited by H+ and H2+ projectiles of energies from 100 to 600 eV have been observed in H2, D2, and N2. The angular distribution of scattered ions and the energy dependence for these processes have been investigated. The excitation cross sections for pure vibrational transitions are unusually large. © 1969 The American Physical Society.