Note: Velocity map imaging the scattering plane of gas surface collisions

Rev Sci Instrum. 2016 Oct;87(10):106104. doi: 10.1063/1.4965970.

Abstract

The ability of gas-surface dynamics studies to resolve the velocity distribution of the scattered species in the 2D scattering plane has been limited by technical capabilities and only a few different approaches have been explored in recent years. In comparison, gas-phase scattering studies have been transformed by the near ubiquitous use of velocity map imaging. We describe an innovative means of introducing a dielectric surface within the electric field of a typical velocity map imaging experiment. The retention of optimum velocity mapping conditions was validated by measurements of iodomethane-d3 photodissociation and SIMION calculations. To demonstrate the system's capabilities, the velocity distributions of ammonia molecules scattered from a polytetrafluoroethylene surface have been measured for multiple product rotational states.