Absolute partial cross sections for electron-impact ionization of SF6 fromthreshold to 1000 eV

Absolute partial cross sections for electron-impact ionization of SF6 are r eported for electron energies from threshold to 1000 eV. The product ions a re mass analysed using a time-of-flight mass spectrometer and detected with a position-sensitive detector whose output demonstrates that all product i ons are collected with equal efficiency irrespective of their initial kinet ic energies. Data are presented for the production of SF5+, SF4+, SF3+, SF2 +, (SF+ + SF42+), S+, F+, SF32+, SF22+ and SF2+ and for the total cross sec tion, which is obtained as the sum of the partial cross sections. The overa ll uncertainty in the absolute cross sections for singly charged ions, exce pt S+, is +/-5%; that for S+ is +/-8%. The uncertainty in the cross section s for doubly charged ions is +/- 12 to 15%. Data are also presented for for mation of (SFn+, F+) ion pairs. Comparison is made With prior experiments a nd calculations.