Electron attachment in HBr and HCl

Studies of electron attachment in HBr and HCl gases at low temperatures hav e indicated that attachment to clusters of these gases can become efficient even though attachment to the monomers is endothermic and exhibits very lo w attachment rates. A complementary measurement of the reaction of OH radic als with HBr has enabled us to establish a lower limit for the rate of elec tron attachment to HBr clusters of approximately 10(-8) cm(3) s(-1). (C) 20 01 American Institute of Physics.