Graduate

Graduate

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Dept. of Physics, March 1999. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 324-331). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Department of Physics, June 2000. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Ohio University, November, 2006. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

The chemical evolution with respect to time of complex macroscopic mixtures such as interstellar clouds and Titan’s atmosphere is governed via a mutual competition between thousands of simultaneous processes, including thousands of chemical reactions. Chemical kinetic modeling, which attempts to understand their macroscopic observables as well as their overall reaction mechanism through a detailed understanding of their microscopic reactions and processes, thus require thousands of rate coefficients and product distributions. At present, however, just a small fraction of these have been well-studied and measured; in addition, at the relevant low temperatures, such information becomes even more scarce. Due to the recent developments in both theoretical kinetics as well as in ab initio electronic structure calculations, it is now possible to predict accurate reaction rate coefficients and product distributions from first-principles at various temperatures, often in less time, than through the running of an experiment. Here, the results of a first principles theoretical investigation into both the reaction rate coefficients as well as the final product distributions for the reactions between the ground state CH radical (X2Π) and various C1-C3 hydrocarbons is presented; together, these constitute a set of reactions important to modeling efforts relevant to mixtures such as interstellar clouds and Titan’s atmosphere.

No description available.

Dans cette thèse nous avons étudié des collisions entre des projectiles CnN⁺ (n=0,1,2,3) et des atomes d’Hélium à vitesse intermédiaire (2.25 u.a). A cette vitesse, proche de la vitesse des électrons sur les couches de valence externe des atomes et molécules, de nombreux processus électroniques prennent place avec une forte probabilité : ionisation (simple et multiple), excitation électronique, capture d’électron (simple et double). Nous avons mesuré les sections efficaces absolues de tous ces processus. Un autre aspect intéressant de la collision concerne la fragmentation des molécules excitées, que nous avons également mesurée précisément grâce à un dispositif dédié. Les expériences ont été effectuées auprès de l’accélérateur Tandem d’Orsay avec des faisceaux de quelques MeV d’énergie cinétique. Le dispositif AGAT a permis de réaliser les collisions (en condition de collision unique) et de mesurer tout à la fois les sections efficaces des processus et la fragmentation associée. Parallèlement nous avons simulé ces collisions d’un point de vue théorique en utilisant le modèle à Atomes et Electrons Indépendants (IAE) couplé à des calculs CTMC (Classical trajectory Monte Carlo). Sur cette base, nous avons prédit les sections efficaces qui se sont trouvées être en bon accord avec les mesures, à l’exception de la double capture d’électrons. Par ailleurs les rapports de branchement de dissociation des CnN⁺ après excitation électronique sont bien reproduits en utilisant la distribution d’énergie interne des espèces calculées avec le même modèle IAE/CTMC. Ces expériences nous ont permis de construire des « Breakdown Curves » (BDC), véritables cartes d’identité des molécules qui permettent de prévoir, dans le cadre d’une fragmentation statistique comment va fragmenter un système dont on connait l’énergie interne. Avec ces BDC nous avons pu prédire et recommander des rapports de branchement pour des voies de sortie de processus physiques et chimiques d’intérêt astrochimique. Ces données seront insérées dans la base internationale d'astrochimie the Kinetic Data Base for Astrochemistry KIDA. Cette thèse a été réalisée dans le cadre de l’Ecole Doctorale Ondes et Matière (EDOM) à l’Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d’Orsay (ISMO), à l’Université Paris-Sud Paris Saclay. / This thesis studies the aftermath of collision between singly positively charged Nitrogenated carbon species CnN⁺ (n=0,1,2,3) and neutral Helium atom at a velocity of 2.25 au. At this velocity, close to the velocity of outer electrons in atoms and molecules, several electronic processes take place and are near their maximum of probability such as ionisation (single, double, triple …), electronic excitation and electron capture (single and double). We looked at their cross sections and how their evolution with the molecule size. Following the collision the molecule can fragment, which leads to another interesting aspect, the fragmentation branching ratios. Collision experiments were done using a Tandem accelerator at Orsay that produced the CnN⁺ projectiles and a dedicated set-up, AGAT, to capture the flying fragments/intact molecule after collision according to their charge to mass ratio. Knowing the number of particles that are shot and the fact that our set-up allows no loss of fragments/intact molecule, we could get the probabilities of various fragments formed. Using these probabilities and a knowledge of the Helium jet profile used, we could measure their cross sections. The probabilities alone are sufficient to obtain the fragmentation branching ratios.The next step was to use a theoretical model to simulate the collision. We used Independent Atom and Electron (IAE) model coupled with Classical Trajectory Monte Carlo (CTMC) method to calculate the desired cross sections. A general good agreement was obtained, with the exception of double electron capture. The model could also predict, through the calculation of the species internal energy, the fragmentation branching ratios of cations CnN⁺ after electronic excitation. Also, the branching ratios were used to construct semi-empirical Breakdown Curves (BDCs), which are internal energy dependent dissociation branching ratios specific to each molecule, type, size and charge. With those, we could recommend products branching ratios to be used for various processes of astrochemical interest. The products branching ratios will be made available for a wider network of researchers under the international Kinetic Database for Astrochemistry (KIDA).This thesis was realized under the doctoral programme of Ecole Doctorale Ondes et Matiere (EDOM) with Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d’Orsay (ISMO) where the author was given an office and Université Paris-Sud where the author is formally enrolled.

In this thesis, multiple ionisation processes of free atoms and molecules upon single photon absorption are studied by means of a versatile multi-electron-ion coincidence spectroscopy method based on a magnetic bottle, primarily in combination with synchrotron radiation. The latter offered the possibility to access not only valence but also core levels, revealing processes, which promote the target systems into different charge states. One study focuses on double and triple ionisation processes of acetaldehyde (ethanal) in the valence region as well as single and double Auger decay of initial 1s core vacancies. The latter are investigated site-selectively for the two chemically different carbon atoms of acetaldehyde, scrutinising theoretical predictions specifically made for that system. A related study concentrates on core-valence double ionisation spectra of acetaldehyde, which have been investigated in the light of a previously established empirical model, and which have been used as test cases for analysing this kind of spectra by means of quantum chemical electronic structure methods of increasing sophistication. A third study investigates site-specific fragmentation upon 1s photoionisation of acetaldehyde using a magnetic bottle augmented with an in-line ion time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Experimental evidence is presented that bond rupture occurs with highest probability in the vicinity of the initial charge localisation and possible mechanisms are discussed. A site-specificity parameter P∆ is introduced to show that differences in fragmentation behavior between initial ionisations at chemically different carbon atoms probably persist even for identical internal energy contents in the nascent dications. In another study where both electrons and ions from Auger decay of core-excited and core-ionised states of CO2 are detected in coincidence, it is confirmed that O2+ is formed specifically in Auger decay from the C1s → π* and O1s → π* resonances, suggesting a decisive role of the π* orbital in the molecular rearrangement. Also, the molecular rearrangement is found to occur by bending in the resonant states, and O2+ is produced by both single and double Auger decay. A new version of the multi-electron-ion coincidence method, where the ion time-of-flight spectrometer is mounted perpendicularly to the electron flight tube, which affects less the electron resolution and which allows for position sensitive detection of the ions, is employed in combination with tunable soft X-rays to reveal the branching ratios to final Xen+ states with 2 &lt; n &lt; 9 from pure 4d-1, 4p-1, 4s-1, 3d-1 and 3p-1 Xe+ hole states. The coincident electron spectra give information on the Auger cascade pathways. / <p>Byte av lokal vid disputation till Polhemssalen.</p>