The Ionization and Dissociation of Complex Molecules by Electron Impact

The report deals with certain experimental and theoretical aspects of collision processes in polyatomic molecular gases. Experimental techniques, dating from about 1932, are reviewed, with more attention given to recent methods. Measurements of critical potentials, cross sections, and initial kinetic energy of product fragments are described. A survey of the theoretical implications of these data is then given, with reference to the significance of electron-impact ionization potential measurements, for molecules and free radicals, bond dissociation energies for a wide range of molecular types, and certain collision processes involving negative ions.