[en] Mass spectrometry ; Electron Impact ; Negative Ions ; Dissociative Electron Attachment ; CH4, C2H2, C2H4, C2H3X(X=Cl, F)
[en] The appearance of negative ions by dissociative electron attachment has been studied by electron impact on CH4, C2H2, C2H4 and C2H3X (X=F, Cl) using a sector field mass spectrometer. An interpretation has been attempted for the measured appearance potentials. The electronaffinity of C2 and C2H is found to be (3.3+/-0.3) eV and (2.3+/-0.2) eV respectively. Some evidence is brought for the existence of excited electronic states in polyatomic negative ions.