Dissociative Excitation of Vacuum Ultraviolet Emission Features by Electron Impact on Molecular Gases. I. H2 and O2

Abstract

The Hi(2p1 2P → 1s1 2S) 1215.67 Å-Lyman-alpha line and the Oi(3s1 3S0 → 2p4 3P) 1302.17, 1304.87, 1306.04-Å multiplet have been excited by electrons impacting on H2 and O2, respectively. Their excitation cross sections have been measured over the energy range from threshold to 350 eV. The cross section for dissociative excitation of Lyman alpha has a peak value of 1.23 × 10−17 cm2 ± 11%, while the cross section for the Oi 1300-Å multiplet has a maximum value of 3.8 × 10−18 cm2 ± 17%. The cross section for dissociative excitation of the Oi(3s1 1P0 → 2p4 1S) 1217.6-Å line is 1.5 × 10−19 cm2 ± 24% at 100 eV.