PHOTOELECTRON STUDY OF THE SATELLITE ION STATES OF HCL AND THE PRODUCTION OF AUTOIONIZING CHLORINE ATOMS BY PHOTODISSOCIATION OF HCL

The HCl+ satellite states, in the energy range 20-31 eV, have been stu died by photoelectron spectroscopy. The energy resolution achieved has allowed vibrational levels to be observed for the first time which ha s shown the two lowest lying states to be dissociative. The use of tun able VUV radiation has provided detailed information on resonance proc esses occurring in the region of the ionization thresholds for the sat ellite ion states. These processes include neutral photodissociation p roducing autoionizing chlorine atoms. Some of the observed atomic stat es are optically forbidden in transitions from the ground state of the atom.