Abstract
Hyperthermal ion scattering experiments were conducted with low kinetic energy (<35 eV) cesium ion beams to analyze the UV-photolyzed water-ice films. Neutral molecules (X) on the surface were detected as cesium-molecule ion clusters ($CsX^+$) which were formed through a Reactive Ion Scattering (RIS) process. Ionic species on the surface were desorbed from the surface via a low energy sputtering (LES) process, and were analyzed [1]. Using these methods, the thermal stability of hydronium ion ($H_3O^+$) that was produced by UV light was examined. As the thermal stability of $H_3O^+$ is related with the reaction, $H_3O^+$ + OH + $e^-$ (or $OH^-$) ${\rightarrow}$ $2H_2O$, which is similar or same with the reverse reaction of the auto-ionization of water, the result from this work would be helpful to understand the auto-ionization of $H_2O$ in water-ice that has not been well-understood yet. However, as $H_3O^+$ was not detected through a LES method, the titration experiment of $H_3O^+$ with methylamine ($CH_3NH_2$, MA), MA + $H_3O^+\;{\rightarrow}\;MAH^+$ + $H_2O$, was conducted. In this case, the presence of $MAH^+$ indicates that of $H_3O^+$ in the ice. Thus the pristine ice was photolyzed with UV light for a few minutes and this photolyzed ice was remained at the certain temperature for minutes without UV light. Then MA was adsorbed on that surface so that the population of $H_3O^+$ was found. From the calibration experiments, the relation of $MAH^+$ and $H_3O^+$ was found, so that the thermal stability of $H_3O^+$ can be investigated [2].