Energy and width of N-(3P) from observation of its formation by dissociative attachment to N2and NO

A dissociative attachment process has been observed in both N 2 and NO which yields N - ions in their unstable ground state ( 3 P). An electron impact spectrometer has been used to detect the N - ions by collecting the electrons emitted when this ion decays to the 4 S ground state of atomic nitrogen. The 3 P state of N - is found to be located at an energy of 0.07+or-0.02 eV above the ground state of N and its natural width is determined to be 16+or-5 meV.