ELECTRON-ATTACHMENT TO C60 AT LOW ENERGIES

Measurements are described of the rate coefficients, beta, for electron attachment to C60 molecules within the electron temperature range 500-4500 K obtained using our flowing afterglow/ Langmuir probe (FALP) apparatus. At a T(e) of 500 K, the beta is small but it increases rapidly with T(e) reaching a value of 3 x 10(-7) cm3 s-1 at 4500 K. Thus an activation energy barrier of 0.26 eV is indicated for electron attachment to C60. The beta at a T(e) of 4500 K is greater than is expected on the basis of s-wave capture theory which we attribute to the large size of the C60 molecule.