ON THE KINETIC-ENERGY RELEASED UPON COLLISION-INDUCED DISSOCIATION OF ORIENTED DIATOMIC IONS

The kinematics of collision-induced dissociation of oriented singly and doubly charged diatomic molecular ions have been investigated using computer simulation techniques. Asymmetries are predicted in the translational-energy spectra of forward-scattered and backward-scattered fragment ions when dissociation occurs, in those cases where the internuclear axis of the diatomic molecules is oriented along the direction of the incident ion beam. Simulated translational energy spectra are compared with experimental data obtained for dissociation of oriented CO2+ ions in collision with helium atoms.