2012 Articles

Isotope effect for associative detachment: H(D)−+H(D)→H2(D2)+e

Savin, Daniel Wolf; Bruhns, H.; Kreckel, H.; Miller, Kenneth; Urbain, X.; Eliasek, J.; Cizek, M.; Cabrera-Trujillo, R.; O'Connor, Aodh

We report experimental and theoretical results for associative detachment (AD) of D−+D→D2+e−. We compare these data to our previously published results for H−+H→H2+e−. The measurements show no significant isotope effect in the total cross section. This is to be contrasted with previously published experimental and theoretical work which has found a significant isotope effect in diatomic systems for partial AD cross sections, i.e., as a function of the rotational and vibrational levels of the final molecule formed. Our work implies that though the rovibrational distribution of flux is different for AD of H− + H and D− + D, the total flux for these two systems is essentially the same when summed over all possible final channels.