Electronic spectroscopy of UF6 and WF6 by electron impact

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Abstract
The electron‐impact excitation spectra of uranium hexafluoride (UF6) and tungsten hexafluoride (WF6) have been studied experimentally at impact energies of 30, 50, and 75 eV and at scattering angles from 5° to 80°. Eleven features in UF6 are observed with maxima at 3.26, 4.2, ∼4.7, 5.8, 7.0, 7.86, 9.26, 11.01, 11.75, 12.5, and 13.2 eV. Four features in WF6 are observed with maximum intensity at 7.25, 7.9, 8.5, and 9.85, in good agreement with optical work. In addition, three previously unobserved features in WF6 at 11.75, 12.6, and 13.5 eV are reported. Similarity between the spectra of UF6 and WF6 suggests that the primary contribution to the absorption intensity in UF6 above 5.8 eV and in WF6 results from charge transfer transitions from fluorine p orbitals to metal d orbitals. Tentative assignments based in part on recent theoretical studies are made.