Orientation and impact-parameter dependence of dissociative ionization of H₂by slow ion impact

Abstract

We have used the cold target recoil ion momentum spectroscopy imaging technique to investigate dissociative ionization of H 2 by 25 keV proton impact. A kinematically complete picture of the dissociative ionization dynamics for slow proton collision has been obtained. The results show a strong impactparameter dependence of the fragmentation process of H 2 . This clearly emerged in the energy distributions of the H + ions generated for different impact parameters. At large impact parameters the H + ions equally share the energy liberated in the collision whereas at small impact parameters, the energy sharing is quite asymmetric. We also observed a strong dependence of the electron emission on molecular alignment. The momentum distribution of the emitted electron generated for a fixed-in-space H 2 molecule displays that the electrons are more likely to be emitted perpendicular to the molecular axis.