Coplanar asymmetric (e, 2e) measurements of ionization of N₂O

Abstract

Electron impact ionization of the valence 2 and inner valence 4 orbitals of nitrous oxide, N2O, has been investigated using the (e, 2e) technique. The experiments have been performed in the asymmetric coplanar geometry, with a view to elucidating the dynamics of the ionization process. An incident energy of approximately 900 eV was used, with an ejected electron energy of 25 eV and scattering angles ranging from 2° to 10°. The kinematics for a scattering angle of 10° correspond to bound Bethe ridge conditions, and at this angle the measured cross section exhibits a deep minimum in the binary direction, similar to that observed in atomic p-orbital ionization. The valence orbital cross sections have larger recoil intensity than is the case for atomic ionization under similar kinematics, while for ionization of the inner valence 4 orbital, the recoil structure is somewhat smaller than has been observed for inner-shell ionization of atoms.