Clear Identification of Previously Unresolved Overlapping Resonances in Dissociative Electron Attachment: A Case Study on Chlorine Molecule

TL;DR

This study introduces a novel experimental method combined with theoretical calculations to clearly identify overlapping resonances in dissociative electron attachment to chlorine molecules, resolving longstanding ambiguities.

Contribution

The paper presents a new experimental approach that unambiguously distinguishes overlapping resonances in DEA processes, supported by theoretical potential energy calculations.

Findings

Successfully identified unresolved overlapping resonances in chlorine DEA

Developed a method using kinetic energy and angular distribution measurements

Confirmed findings with theoretical potential energy curves

Abstract

An observed broad resonance peak in dissociative electron attachment (DEA) cross sections to a molecule might be due to either closely lying or overlapping resonances involved in the process. We developed a state-of-the-art experimental approach that enables us to identify unambiguously both the closely lying and the overlapping resonances based on kinetic energy and/or angular distribution measurements of fragment negative ion(s) generated from DEA process. Experimental observations strongly supported by theoretical potential energy curve calculations unambiguously identify previously unresolved overlapping resonances in DEA to chlorine molecule.