Electron-impact ionization cross sections for nitrogen molecule from 250 to 8000 eV

Highlights: • The experimental data of absolute electron-impact ionization cross sections of molecules are important in the development of collision theory as well as in applications in many fields such as plasmas physics, astrophysics. • However, even for nitrogen molecule, the existed data is limited in the range from threshold to 1000 eV, and the partial cross section for dissociation channels is especially scarce. • In this manuscript, using a home-made ion imaging spectrometer as well as relative flow technique, we obtain the absolute electron-impact ionization cross sections for N₂ molecule from 250 to 8000 eV. • Generally, our results are in agreement with the previous measurements in the overlap energy region. • Partial ionization cross sections of both ionic products and dissociation channels over 1000 eV are obtained for the first time. - Abstract: The partial and total ionization cross sections for N₂ in gas phase by electron impact in a wide energy range have been measured by ion imaging mass spectrometer. The results are put on an absolute scale by normalizing the data of $N_2^{+}$ to that of Ar⁺ from N₂–Ar mixture target. The overall errors are evaluated by considering various kinds of uncertainties. Comparisons are made with the previous measurements.