Photoelectron kinetic energy analysis in gases by means of a spherical analyser

A spherical grid analyser has been used to measure the kinetic energy distribution of photoelectrons produced by the interaction of 584 $\overset{\circ}{\mathrm A}$ radiation with argon, krypton, xenon, hydrogen, HD, deuterium, oxygen and nitrogen. The relative transition probabilities to the $^2$P$_\frac{3}{2}$ and $^2$P$_\frac{1}{2}$ levels of the rare gas ions and to various vibronic states of the others are given. A detailed description of the apparatus is included. It is demonstrated that the ionic energy levels measured agree extremely well with those found by optical spectroscopy, and that it will be possible, in favourable cases, to determine the bonding or antibonding nature of an ionized orbital from the shape of the photoelectron stopping curve.