Spin dependence of low energy charge exchange between H 2 + and Na

The difference in charge exchange rate in collisions between spin oriented sodium atoms and H 2 + ions has been measured at an energy of about 1 eV. H 2 + was stored in a Penning trap and polarized by spin exchange with Na beam atoms from a hexapole magnet. The ion loss from the trap due to charge exchange was different as we depolarized the atomic beam. From the data we obtain a ratio of cross sections for singlet and triplet collisionsQ 1/Q 3=1.5±0.2 andQ 3=1.2·10−15 cm2.