Knowledge Bank

The kinetics of ion - molecule reactions are investigated in higher-order multipole traps by observation of the temporal evolution of mass selected parent ions in the presence of a neutral reaction partner. Rate coeffients for fast reactions (proceeding at collision rate) and very slow reactions (taking millions of collisions) are determined over a wide range of temperatures. Endothermic or hindered reactions can be promoted by excitation of the ion via absorption of a photon. Scanning the photon energy while detecting the number of product ions establishes an action spectroscopy method which we developed over the last 10-15 years and termed LIR: laser or light induced reactions. % % The main advantages of LIR are mass selection of the parent ion and low temperature conditions in the trap. Long storage times in combination with a near unity detection efficiency make LIR one of the most sensitive spectroscopy methods. The status quo of LIR will be discussed on selected examples. Recent measurements are concerned with ro-vibrational spectra of CH$2$D$+$ % % and CH$\mathrm{5+}$ % % at highest resolution using cw OPO radiation. In the particular case of CH$\mathrm{5+}$, the lines in the mid IR have been measured at a nominal temperature of 10 K and a frequency comb has been used for absolute calibration. Line positions can be determined to an accuracy which shall enable us in the future to obtain rotational spectra in a THz-IR double resonance approach. We tested the feasibility of this two photon method recently on H$2$D$+$. %