Ionization of NF3 by electron impact

The ionization and dissociative ionization of NF3 by electron impact has be en measured by Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS). The total ioniza tion cross-section rises to a maximum value of 2.4 +/- 0.4 x 10(-16) cm(2) at 140 eV. Estimates of the total single ionization cross-section using ab initio energies with the binary encounter Bethe (BEB) [Y.K. Kim, M.E. Rudd, Phys. Rev. A 50 (1994) 3594] or Deutsch-Mark [Int. J. Mass Spec. 197 (2000 ) 37] models are roughly twice the measured values. The partial cross-secti ons creating NFx+ (x = 0, 1, 2, 3), F+, and NFx2+ (x = 1, 2, 3) are reporte d. Differences between the FTMS results and quadrupole data and fast atom b eam results of Tarnovsky et al. [Int. J. Mass Spectrom. Ion Processes 133 ( 1994) 175] are discussed. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.