Imaging of the dynamics on the 2B2 resonance in dissociative electron attachement to water

We used a COLTRIMS-like apparatus to study experimentally dissociative electron attachment to gas phase water molecules. The momentum imaging technique yields some very unique insight into the dissociation dynamics involving the 2B2 resonance. Dynamics involving transition through a conical intersection connecting the 2B2 and 2A1 surfaces is clearly observed in the momentum sphere of the H- channel. The transition through the conical intersection is found to depend exquisitely on the electron energy. The angular distribution of H- exhibits a very complicated pattern and comparison to theory sheds some unique light on the dynamics through the conical intersection.