Chirally-Sensitive Electron-Induced Molecular Breakup

We present the results of our search for asymmetric interactions between longitudinally spin-polarized electrons and chiral bromocamphor (C$_{10}$H$_{15}$BrO) molecules. We define the asymmetry as $A = $[($I\uparrow $-$I\downarrow )$/($I\uparrow +I\downarrow )$]$_{L}$-[($I\uparrow $-$I\downarrow )$/($I\uparrow +I\downarrow )$]$_{R}$, where $I\uparrow $ ($I\downarrow )$ is the current measured for spin-up (spin-down) electrons and the ``$L$'' and ``$R$'' subscripts correspond to the left- and right-handed chirality of the molecules. Two electron-molecule interaction channels were studied: electron transmission (related to the total scattering cross section) and dissociative electron attachment (DEA). The asymmetry results for the transmitted current of longitudinally spin-polarized electrons through a vapor of chirally-pure bromocamphor molecules are compared to those of Mayer \textit{et al.} [1]. We have also measured an asymmetric DEA cross section by detecting Br$^{-}$ ions. Observation of this effect represents evidence of chirally-sensitive molecular breakup. \\[4pt] [1] S. Mayer, C. Nolting, and J. Kessler, J. Phys. B \textbf{29}, 3497 (1996).