Charge transfer dynamics in Ar⁺ + CO

Abstract

Differential cross sections for the charge transfer reaction between Ar⁺ and CO have been measured using three-dimensional velocity map imaging in a crossed beam setup at the two relative collision energies 0.55 and 0.74 eV. We find dominant forward scattering with CO⁺ product ions predominantly in the vibrational levels ${\nu }^{\prime }$=6,7 of the electronic ground state X${}^2{\mathrm{\Sigma }}^{+}$. This is indicative of a direct resonant mechanism for the two argon spin-orbit states. At both collision energies also an isotropic distribution with product ions exhibiting high internal excitation is observed. This is more pronounced at the higher collision energy, where the first electronically excited state A${}^2{\mathrm{\Pi }}^{+}$ becomes accessible. We conclude that the A-state is partially populated by the product ions at 0.74 eV collision energy and suggest that the isotropic distribution stems from the formation of a charge-transfer complex, in concurrence with previously performed studies.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Reaction dynamics
• charge transfer
• crossed beams
• velocity map imaging

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The superscripts i and ii are used to differentiate the vibrational levels accessed in the reaction with the different spin-orbit states Ar⁺${(}^2{P}_{3/2})$ and Ar⁺${(}^2{P}_{1/2})$, respectively.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Austrian Science Fund FWF within the DK-ALM: W1259-N27. J. M. acknowledges support by a Hertha-Firnberg fellowship of the Austrian Science Fund (T962-N34).