Advanced Design, Alignment and Calibration of an Apparatus to Measure the Effective Cross-Section of Molecular Nitrogen When Bombarded by Low Energy Electrons

摘要

The design and construction of a previously incomplete apparatus was advanced in preparation for measuring the effective cross-sections for forming the B doublet Sigma(u)(+) state of N2(+) and the C triplet Pi(u) state of N2 in the lowest vibrational level when exicted by low energy electrons in the 50 to 2,000 ev range. The equipment's electron beam and optical system were aligned and its combined optical, detection and counting system was calibrated to obtain its efficiency in counting photons emitted from the C triplet Pi(u) state decay. (Author)