Neutralized ion-beam spectroscopy

Research on the neutralization of ion beams by electron-capture collisions with atomic particles has largely been within the domain of atomic and high-energy physics with the emphasis on understanding the fundamentals of ion-atom interactions. This account presented a chemist's perception of the possibilities to obtain new information about molecules formed by neutralization of beams of molecular ions. Only reactions in which a molecule is formed in an electron-capture process are discussed. In this article neutralized ion beam spectroscopy was defined as a technique for investigating modes of energy disposal in species formed when a fast beam of ions is neutralized in the electron-transfer reaction AB/sup +/ + M(g) ..-->.. AB* + M*/sup +/ where AB/sup +/ is any diatomic or polyatomic ion and M is a thermalized target atom. The target atom series M = Cs, K, Na, Ca, Mg, and Zn that covers an ionization potential range of 3.9 to 9.4 eV. The most significant technical advance from neutralized ion beam studies is the capability of producing beams of stable or metastable molecules that would be difficult, if not impossible, to obtain by other methods. 5 figures, 2 tables. (DP)