The effect of vibrational energy content on the neutralization–reionization mass spectra of [H 2 ] + ˙ ions

Neutralization‐reionization experiments were performed on beams of [H 2 ] + ˙ ions of different, known vibrational energy content using a variety of neutralization target gases (Xe, H 2 , Ne) and reionization gases (He, O 2 ). The recovery of [H 2 ] + ˙ ions was found to be only weakly dependent on the vibrational energy of the original [H 2 ] + ˙ ions. The ion kinetic energy spectra of H + fragments from the neutralization‐reionization experiments were independent of the collision gas; the processes by which they were generated were identified.