Communication: Imaging the indirect dissociation dynamics of temporary negative ion: N2O- → N2 + O-.

We reported an imaging study of the dissociation dynamics of temporary negative ion N(2)O(-) formed in the low-energy electron attachment, e(-) + N(2)O → N(2)O(-) → N(2) + O(-). With the help of ab initio molecular dynamics calculations, the evolution of momentum distributions of the O(-) fragment in terms of the electron attachment energy is identified as the result of a competition between two distinctly different indirect pathways, namely, climbing over and bypassing the energy ridge after the molecular structure bending. These two pathways prefer leaving the N(2) fragment at the high vibrational and rotational states, respectively.