Quantum Superposition of Target and Product States in Reactive Electron Scattering from<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mml:msub><mml:mi>CF</mml:mi><mml:mn>4</mml:mn></mml:msub></mml:math>Revealed through Velocity Slice Imaging

Abstract

Exploiting the technique of velocity slice imaging, we have performed a detailed study of reactive electron scattering with CF4. We have measured the electron impact energy dependence of both the angular and kinetic energy distributions of the channels yielding F- and CF3(-) anions. These data provide an unprecedented insight into the quantum superposition of the target state and product channels, respectively, of Td and C3v symmetry, and shed new light on the dissociation dynamics.