Measurement of total cross sections for electron recombination with NO+and O2+using ion storage techniques

Abstract

The total cross section as a function of electron energy for recombination of electrons with room temperature NO+ has been measured with a trapped ion technique. Measurements were made in the electron energy range 0.045–4 eV with an energy resolution between 0.045 and 0.120 eV, and the cross sections, which showed some structure, ranged from 1.25 × 10−14 cm² at the lowest energy to 1.7 × 10−16cm² at the highest energy. Similar measurements were made on O2+, the species used to calibrate the apparatus geometry. A Maxwellian distribution of electron velocities was used with the measured cross sections to calculate rate constants, giving values extending to electron temperatures as high as 40,000°K. Comparison with previously measured rate coefficients at lower temperatures is quite satisfactory.