keV collisions of [H3]+ and isotopomer ions

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0301-0104(88)87140-4

Kinetic energy spectra of ionic and high-Rydberg fragments from collisions between [H₃]⁺, and isotopomer ions of 9.9 keV translational energy and rare gas target atoms are described and analysed. Processes leading to the above fragments are identified. Evidence is presented for the importance of a nonadiabatic transition between the first singlet excited and the ground state in the generation of H⁺ fragments in these collisions. The validity of Wigner's total-spin-conservation rule for electronic transitions in collisions between [H₃]⁺ ions and neutral targets was examined for a variety of target species. For He and Ne targets, spin- conservation strictly holds but for the rest of the rare gas atoms and diatomic molecules, singlet to triplet transitions were observed.