Binary and ternary recombination of H-3(+) and D-3(+) ions with electrons in low temperature plasma

    Authors

    J. Glosik; R. Plasil; T. Kotrik; P. Dohnal; J. Varju; M. Hejduk; I. Korolov; S. Roucka;V. Kokoouline

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Mol. Phys.

    Keywords

    H-3(+) and O-3(+) ions; ions; binary recombination; He assisted ternary; recombination; plasma; afterglow; lifetime of Rydberg molecule; DISSOCIATIVE RECOMBINATION; INFRARED-SPECTRUM; INTERSTELLAR; AFTERGLOW; H-3+; SPECTROSCOPY; EXCITATION; HCO+; COEFFICIENTS; DEPENDENCE; Physics, Atomic, Molecular & Chemical

    Abstract

    Measurements of recombination rate coefficients of binary and ternary recombination of H-3(+) and D-3(+) ions with electrons in a low temperature plasma are described. The experiments were carried out in the afterglow plasma in helium with a small admixture of Ar and parent gas (H-2 or D-2). For both ions a linear increase of measured apparent binary recombination rate coefficients (alpha(eff)) with increasing helium density was observed: alpha(eff) = alpha(BIN) + K-He[He]. From the measured dependencies, we have obtained for both ions the binary (alpha(BIN)) and the ternary ( KHe) rate coefficients and their temperature dependence. For the description of observed ternary recombination a mechanism with two subsequent rate determining steps is proposed. In the first step, in H-3(+) + e(-) (or D-3(+) + e(-)) collision, a rotationally excited long-lived Rydberg molecule H-3(*) (or D-3(*)) is formed. In the following step H-3(*) (or D-3(*)) collides with a He atom of the buffer gas and this collision prevents autoionization of H-3(*) (or D-3(*)). Lifetimes of the formed H-3(*) (or D-3(*)) and corresponding ternary recombination rate coefficients have been calculated. The theoretical and measured binary and ternary recombination rate coefficients obtained for H-3(+) and D-3(+) ions are in good agreement.

    Journal Title

    Molecular Physics

    Volume

    108

    Issue/Number

    17

    Publication Date

    1-1-2010

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    2253

    Last Page

    2264

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000281646900011

    ISSN

    0026-8976

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