title: Structure and stability of the negative hydrogen molecular ion.
abstract: We present the results of a Coulomb explosion experiment that allows for the imaging of the rovibrational wave function of the metastable H2- ion. Our measurements confirm the predicted large internuclear separation of 6 a.u., and they show that the ion decays by autodetachment rather than by spontaneous dissociation. Imaging of the resulting H2 products reveals a large angular momentum of J = 25 ± 2, quantifying the rotation that leads to the metastability of this most fundamental molecular anion.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jordon-Thaden
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kreckel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Golser
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schwalm
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Buhr
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gnaser
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grieser
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Heber
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Novotný
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Novotny
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petrignani
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Repnow
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rubinstein
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shafir
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zajfman