Extensive electron-nuclear angular momentum exchange in vibrational autoionization of np and nf Rydberg states of NO

Vibrational autoionization of individual rotational levels of np (ν=1) and nf (ν=1) Rydberg states of nitric oxide (NO) with 11≤n≤15 have been studied employing two-color double-resonance excitation via the NO A2Σ+ (νi=1) state. The rotational state distributions of the resulting NO+ X1Σ+ (ν+=0) ion have been determined by time-of-flight photoelectron spectroscopy. These measurements show the occurrence of angular momentum exchange between the outgoing electron and the molecular-ion core, a process that has been commonly neglected in theoretical treatments of vibrational autoionization. copyright 1996 The American Physical Society