Crossed beam study of the charge-transfer reaction of Ar/sup +/ with N/sub 2/ at low and intermediate energies

The charge-transfer reaction Ar/sup +/(N/sub 2/,Ar) N/sup +//sub 2/ was studied in a crossed beam experiment at 1.73 and 4.01 eV collision energies. A weak plasma ion source was used to generate a nearly pure Ar/sup +/ (/sup 2/P/sub 3//sub ///sub 2/) ion beam, which is crossed at 90/sup 0/ by a He-seeded supersonic jet N/sub 2/ beam. Detailed analysis of the results demonstrates that the reaction proceeds cleanly to generate N/sup +//sub 2/(X ..sigma../sup +//sub g/, v = 1) with a distribution of rotational states. A direct mechanism, qualitatively described as electron jump with negligible momentum transfer, is followed at collision energies of 1.7 and 4 eV.