A new crossed molecular beam apparatus using time-sliced ion velocity imaging technique

A new crossed molecular beam apparatus has been constructed for investigating polyatomic chemical reactions using the time-sliced ion velocity map imaging technique. A unique design is adopted for one of the two beam sources and allows us to set up the molecular beam source either horizontally or vertically. This can be conveniently used to produce versatile atomic or radical beams from photodissociation and as well as electric discharge. Intensive H-atom beam source with high speed ratio was produced by photodissociation of the HI molecule and was reacted with the CD4 molecule. Vibrational-state resolved HD product distribution was measured by detecting the CD3 product. Preliminary results were also reported on the F+SiH4 reaction using the discharged F atom beam. These results demonstrate that this new instrument is a powerful tool for investigating chemical dynamics of polyatomic reactions. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.2978004]