A striking feature of recent measurements of the photoionization of H2(C , n u ) is that the distribution of final vibrational states of \\j + differs significantly from the predictions of the Franck-Condon approximation. A theory is presented that accounts for these measurements. The essential physical mechanism is photoexcitation of the dissociating, autoionizing 'iTg electronic state of H2, followed by competition between dissociation of the nuclei (leading to H* + H) and electronic autoionization (leading to H2 + + e).
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.