Temperature dependence of electron attachment to methylene chloride

Temperature dependence of dissociative electron attachment to methylene chl oride in the electron energy range of 0-10 eV was studied in a high-tempera ture electron swarm apparatus. The measurements were made using N-2 and Ar as buffer gases. From the measured electron attachment rate constants, the electron attachment cross sections at 300, 400, and 500 K were determined u sing an unfolding technique. The maximum electron attachment cross sections at 300, 400, and 500 K were approximate to 3.1 x 10(-18), approximate to 8 .2 x 10(-18), and approximate to 1.7 x 10(-17) cm(2), and occurred at elect ron energies of approximate to 0.8, approximate to 0.65, and approximate to 0.55 eV, respectively. The increase in electron attachment to methylene ch loride with temperature is attributed to the increase in the vibrational en ergy of the molecule. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-9606(9 9)00618-2].