Spectroscopy of High Energy Ion-neutral Collisions

Abstract

This research work focused on studying the emission spectroscopy produced from the high energy ion-molecule collision processes in mass spectrometry. The collision experiments are described and divided into 4 chapters (Chapter 3, 4, 5, 6).N2O+● is an ion of atmospheric importance. In chapter 3 the investigation of the collision between high translational energy (4-8 keV range) N2O+● ions and Helium target gas in mass spectrometry using collision induced emission (CIE) spectroscopy is described.In chapter 4, the collision-induced emission (CIE) spectra from 4-8 keV collisions between projectile He+● ions and CO2 target gas (He+●/CO2) were obtained. In Chapter 5, to probe the validity of this hypothesis, CIE experiments were carried out to observe the photon emissions from keV collisions of a selection of projectile ions with O2 target gas. By studying the resulting CIE spectra, a second potential mechanism came to light, one that involves the nearly isoenergetic O2+. A → X state transition. In chapter 6, neutral hydroxymethylene and formaldehyde were generated by charge exchange neutralization of their respective ionic counterparts and then were reionized and detected as recovery signals in neutralization-reionization mass spectrometry in the modified VG-ZAB mass spectrometer.