Geometric structure of N2O q+ (q = 5, 6) studied by Ne8+ ion-induced Coulomb explosion imaging*

Abstract

We report the study on the complete three-body Coulomb explosion (CE) of N2O q+ (q = 5, 6) induced by 56-keV/u Ne8+ ion collision with N2O gaseous molecule. Six CE channels for N2O5+ and seven for N2O6+ are identified by measuring three ionic fragments and the charge-changed projectile in quadruple coincidence. Correspondingly the kinetic energy release (KER) and momentum correlation angle (MCA) distributions of three ionic fragments for each of the CE channels are also deduced. Numerical computation is presented to reconstruct the geometric structure of N2O q+ prior to dissociation based on the measured KER and MCA. The N–N and N–O bond lengths and the N–N–O bond angles of N2O q+ for each of the channels are determined.