Relative Cross Sections for Electron‐Impact Dissociation of SF₆ into SF_x (x = 1−3) Neutral Radicals

Abstract

Abstract The energy dependence of the partial cross sections of electron‐impact dissociation of SF 6 into the neutral radicals SF, SF 2 and SF 3 is measured from the threshold to 200 eV. This measurement is accomplished by appearance mass spectrometry in a dual electron beam device. The dissociation products SF 4 and SF 5 are below the detection limit of the present system. The threshold energies for neutral dissociation into SF 3 , SF 2 and SF are measured to be 16.0, 19.5 and 22.0 eV respectively. The surface loss probability of each radical and the electron‐impact nitrogen dissociation are examined to evaluate the relative dissociation cross section. However, the absolute cross section cannot be assigned for lack of the ionization cross sections for the SF x radicals.