WAVE-FUNCTION OVERLAP EFFECTS IN LOW-ENERGY COLLISIONAL EXCITATION OFCO2 AND CS2 BY H-2(-2(+), O-2(+) AND CO2+ PROJECTILES(), N)

Excitation of linear triatomics, CO2 and CS2, has been studied in 1.8 keV collisions with monoenergetic projectile ions H-2(+), N-2(+), O-2( +) and CO2+ by means of energy loss spectrometry. The dependence of th e excitation cross section upon the quantal description of projectile ions is probed. The excitation cross section is largest in the case of collisions with H-2(+) ions, in conformity with wavefunction overlap computations of the overlap integrals of the highest occupied molecula r orbitals of the colliding systems.