Relation between the spatial shape of excited molecular orbital and molecular-frame electron scattering cross section

Abstract

Synopsis We report the molecular-frame electron scattering cross sections of the 2σg→1πg excitation in O2 and N2, obtained using an electron-ion coincidence technique. The vector correlation between the scattered electron and the fragment ion has been measured at incident electron energy of 1.4 keV. The results exhibit clear molecular-orientation dependence reflecting the nodal structure of the 1πg orbital. It strongly suggests that the electron-ion coincidence technique can provide a powerful tool to investigate spatial shapes of unoccupied molecular orbitals.