Proton production from H₂by electron impact excitation of autoionising states near threshold

Energetic protons produced via the autoionising states of H 2 have been studied in an electron impact experiment. A new method has been developed for determining the transmission properties of the proton energy analyser and has allowed the authors to derive the relative differential cross sections for proton production at the formation threshold of each of four autoionising states in the 23-29 eV energy range. Furthermore, a new process has been observed with a threshold at 22.3 eV which yields protons with energies around 1.3 eV.