Vibrational excitation in isoelectronic molecules by electron impact: CO and N2

The authors report differential cross sections for the electron-impact excitation of the 0-1 vibrational transition for the respective N 2 and CO ground molecular states. These data were obtained for incident energies in the regime 20-50 eV and over the scattering range 10'-90' by analysing the electron energy-loss spectra of both molecules at a number of fixed scattering angles within that range. The present study probes the effect, if any, on the vibrational cross sections of a slight charge asymmetry and dipole moment introducing in going from N 2 to CO.