Soft electron impact ionization in crossed molecular beam reactive scattering:: The dynamics of the O(3P)+C2H2 reaction

Soft ionization by low-energy, tunable electrons is implemented for the first time in crossed molecular beam reactive scattering experiments with mass-spectrometric detection. The power of the method, which permits the suppression of the dissociative ionization of interfering species, is exemplified with the study of the O(P-3)+C2H2 multichannel reaction. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.