H-3(+) and D-3(+) ground state beams production with a filament-type ion source.

Abstract

H-3(+) and D-3(+) molecular ions in their ground slate have been produced by using a filament-type ion source. This was achieved by increasing the ion source pressure up to 0.82 Torr. These molecular ion beams were used in collision with He to study the polar dissociation of H-3(+) and D-3(+). The polar dissociating channel for H-3(+) with He was used to qualitatively verify the internal vibrational energy of the initial H-3(+) ions by observing the protons in coincidence with H- fragments. Variation of the source pressure influenced the vibrational population of the initial H-3(+) ions, and this was reflected in the distribution of the coincident H+ and H- fragments resulting from H-3(+) ions in their ground state.