title: Rydberg electron transfer to C6H5NO2: lifetimes and characteristics of the product C6H5NO2- ions.
abstract: The nature of electron binding in C6H5NO2- ions produced by Rydberg electron transfer in K(np)C6H5NO2 collisions is investigated through measurements of the number and the lifetimes of the product ions and their dependence on Rydberg atom velocity and principal quantum number n in the range 12 <or approximately n <or approximately 30. The data are interpreted by comparison to results obtained using well-known dipole-bound and valence-bound anions. At high n direct capture into valence-bound states with a lifetime of approximately 1.6 ms is observed. At low n the data suggest that, while direct capture into valence-bound states is still possible, the majority of the observed C6H5NO2- ions result from the onset of a second reaction channel that involves the formation of a dipole-bound "doorway" state that rapidly evolves into a state with predominantly valence-bound character. These findings are discussed in the light of earlier work on electron binding to C6H5NO2.
authors.affiliation: Rice University MS-61, Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Rice Quantum Institute, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005-1892, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Suess
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Parthasarathy
authors.forename: F B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Dunning