Electron-impact dissociative excitation and ionization of N ₂D⁺

Absolute cross sections for electron-impact dissociation of N ₂D⁺ producing N2+, ND⁺, and N⁺ ion fragments were measured in the 5- to 100-eV range using a crossed electron-ion beams technique. In the 5- to 20-eV region, in which dissociative excitation (DE) is the principal contributing mechanism, N2+ production dominates. The N2+ + D dissociation channel shows a large resonant-like structure in the DE cross section, as observed previously in electron impact dissociation of triatomic dihydride species. In the dissociative ionization (DI) region, 20- to 100-eV, N2+, ND⁺, and N⁺ ion fragment production are comparable. The observance of the ND⁺ and N⁺ ion fragments indicate breaking of the N-N bond along certain dissociation channels.