[en] The dissociative electron attachment to the gas phase nucleobase adenine is studied using two different experiments. A double focusing sector field mass spectrometer is utilized for measurements requiring high mass resolution, high sensitivity, and relative ion yields for all the fragment anions and a hemispherical electron monochromator instrument for high electron energy resolution. The negative ion mass spectra are discussed at two different electron energies of 2 and 6 eV. In contrast to previous gas phase studies a number of new negative ions are discovered in the mass spectra. The ion efficiency curves for the negative ions of adenine are measured for the electron energy range from about 0 to 15 eV with an electron energy resolution of about 100 meV. The total anion yield derived via the summation of all measured fragment anions is compared with the total cross section for negative ion formation measured recently without mass spectrometry. For adenine the shape of the two cross section curves agrees well, taking into account the different electron energy resolutions; however, for thymine some peculiar differences are observed

[en] In order to provide quantitative information on electron collision processes involving various plasma constituents (in particular hydrocarbons) and to elucidate the properties of cations and anions produced we have carried out the past years a series of studies with a variety of techniques in our laboratory in Innsbruck. In the present review we will present some recent results on electron impact ionization and attachment in order to illustrate recent progress in this field in particular concerning the production of energetic fragment cations for hydrocarbons and differences in the attachment of isomers for nitro-organics. Using a Nier type electron impact ion source in combination with a double focusing two sector field mass spectrometer, partial cross sections for electron impact ionization of acetylene, propene and other hydrocarbons have been measured for electron energies up to 1000 eV. Discrimination factors for ions have been determined using the deflection field method in combination with a three-dimensional ion trajectory simulation of ions produced in the ion source. Analysis of the ion yield curves obtained by scanning the deflectors allows the assignment of ions with the same mass-to-charge ratio to specific production channels on the basis of their different kinetic energy distributions. This analysis also allows to determine, besides kinetic energy distributions of fragment ions, partial cross sections differential in kinetic energy. Moreover charge separation reactions (for instance in case of acetylene the Coulomb explosion of the doubly-charged parent ions C₂H₂⁺⁺ into the fragment ions C₂H⁺ and H⁺) are investigated by means of a number of metastable mass spectrometry methods and the associated mean kinetic energy release is deduced. Free electron attachment to the three different isomers of mono-nitrotoluene molecules in the gas phase is studied using two different crossed electron-molecule beams technique. In contrast to previous studies for a large number of negative ions in nitro-organic compounds the presently measured relative cross section curves are recorded with an electron energy resolution of better than 100 meV. For several product anions including the nitro anion NO₂^- remarkable differences for the three isomers are observed. For almost all fragment anion efficiency curves the 2-nitrotoluene exhibits pronounced differences compared to the two other isomers. In contrast, 3- and 4-nitrotoluene disagree only slightly in a few fragment anions from each other