Breakup dynamics and the isotope effect in H-3(+) and D-3(+) dissociative recombination

The breakup dynamics of H-3(+) and D-3(+) following dissociative recombination is studied using the combination of two-dimensional imaging and storage ring techniques. The vibrational distributions of the molecular H-2 and D-2 fragments produced in the two body fragmentation channel were measured, as well as the kinematical correlation between the hydrogen or deuterium atoms produced in the three body channel. For the latter, we find predominantly linear dissociation geometries. The data also show that the initial molecular ions H-3(+) and D-3(+), which were stored and electron cooled for up to 40 s prior to recombination, are still rotationally hot