Electron attachment cross sections and negative ion states of SF6

A comprehensive and critical assessment of published data on the total, dis sociative and nondissociative electron attachment cross sections for SF6 al lowed us to recommend or suggest room temperature values for these cross se ctions over an energy range from 0.0001 eV to 15 eV. The total electron att achment cross section is dominated by the formation of SF6- below similar t o0.2 eV, by the formation of SF; between similar to0.3 eV and 1.5 eV, and b y the formation of F- beyond similar to2.0 eV. This work, along with electr on scattering and theoretical data, allowed us also to identify the energie s and symmetry assignments of the negative ion states of SF6 below similar to 15 eV. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V.