A Dissociative Electroionization Study of Nitrous Oxide. The O+ and N+ Dissociation channels.

After the investigation of the decay of N2O into NO+ and N2+ the dissociation channels leading to O+ and N+ are examined by electroionization using ion kinetic energy and mass analysis. Appearance energies of O+ and N+ are measured as a function of the kinetic energy of the fragment ions. Predissociation is the main mechanism for ion production in both channels. In the O+ decay channel the 4Sigma- state is an important intermediate. The neutral N2(X1Sigma+/g) mainly appears vibrationally excited. In the N+ dissociation channel, 2Pi states have to play an important role by predissociating the N2O(C2Sigma+) state and the higher-lying doubly excited states of N2O+.