Photon and positive ion production from collisions of superthermal hydrogen atoms with lithium atoms and molecules

Photon and positive ion production from superthermal collisions of hydrogen atoms with lithium atoms and molecules is reported. These are the first results in the difficult 1 to 10 eV collision regime obtained with recently developed high intensity plasma-arc source of H atoms. These superthermal H atoms (approximately 5 eV average kinetic energy but not velocity selected in these experiments) have been collided with an intense supersonic lithium beam (approximately 10 percent Li2; Li3 undetectable) with cold internal degrees of freedom (T/sub vib/ = 1950K, T/sub rot/ = 700K). The other aspects of the apparatus have been given previously. Low resolution photon and positive ion production in the collision chamber scattering center and also medium resolution; photon production in the magnet chamber between the skimmer and the magnet were detected