Vibrational dependence in the dissociative recombination of O₂⁺

We report data on a study into the vibrational dependence in the dissociative recombination of O⁺₂ (X²Π_g). The experiment has been performed with a merged-beam apparatus in the heavy-ion storage ring, CRYRING. We present the total rate coefficients as function of collision energy for five different vibrational populations of the ion beam and the partial rate coefficients and branching fractions near 0 eV collision energy for the vibrational levels v = 0, 1 and 2. Furthermore, we report on the control over and characterization of vibrational populations. The total rate coefficient is found to be weakly dependent on the vibrational excitation. The rate decreases upon increasing vibrational excitation, though only within an order of magnitude. The partial rate coefficients are strongly dependent on the vibrational level; with the v = 0 oxygen ions recombining the fastest. The partial branching fractions are also found to be strongly dependent on the vibrational level, specifically the O(¹S) quantum yield which increases strongly upon increasing vibrational level.