Photoelectron spectroscopy was used to determine the ionic vibrational dist
ributions following vibrational autoionization of Rydberg states of NH3. Tw
o-color, two-photon resonant, three-photon excitation via selected rotation
al levels of the NH3 (C) over tilde' (1)A(1)'(0200) intermediate state was
employed to populate vibrationally autoionizing Rydberg states between the
v(2)(+)=1 and v(2)(+)=2 ionization thresholds of the NH3+ (X) over tilde (2
)A(2)" ground electronic state. As expected from the propensity rule for vi
brational autoionization, ionization with Delta v(2)=-1 was found to be the
dominant process. The observed vibrational distributions appear to be inde
pendent of the rotational quantum number of the autoionizing state. Partial
ly resolved rotational structure was exhibited within the photoelectron spe
ctra providing information on the assignments of the Rydberg states and on
the mechanism for vibrational autoionization. (C) 2000 American Institute o
f Physics. [S00219606(00)00109-4].