Cross Sections for Dissociative Ionization of Molecules by Electron Impact

Cross sections for dissociative ionization have been measured as a function of electron energy from threshold to 1000 eV in nine gases (H2, D2, N2, CO, NO, O2, CO2, N2O, and CH4) by collecting those ions reaching the ion collector after passing through a 0.25-V retarding potential in a total-ionization tube. Approximate correction is made for the effective solid angle subtended by the ion collector at the electron beam. The results are reported as the fraction of total ionization, and as absolute cross sections for dissociative ionization. At moderately high electron energies (>70 eV), the fraction of total ionization that is dissociated ions with kinetic energy in excess of 0.25 eV, ranges from ∼7% in H2 and D2 to ∼35% in N2O, with other gases intermediate.