The Ionization of Carbon Monoxide by Controlled Electron Impact, Interpreted by the Mass Spectrograph

By using a mass spectrograph previously described, a study is made of the ionization processes occurring when CO molecules are ionized by electrons of definite energy. The variation of the relative intensities of the ions C${\mathrm{O}}^{+}$, ${\mathrm{C}}^{+}$ and ${\mathrm{O}}^{+}$ with changes of pressure and with changes of the electric fields has led to the conclusion that the principal processes occurring are: (1) CO = C${\mathrm{O}}^{+}$+${\mathrm{E}}^{-}$; (2) CO = ${\mathrm{O}}^{+}$+C+${\mathrm{E}}^{-}$; (3) CO = ${\mathrm{C}}^{+}$+O+${\mathrm{E}}^{-}$; (4) CO+C${\mathrm{O}}^{+}$ = C${\mathrm{O}}_2$+${\mathrm{C}}^{+}$. No negative nor doubly charged positive ions were found.