The interaction of D- with H was studied experimentally and theoretically at low temperatures. The rate coefficients of associative detachment and electron transfer reactions were measured in the temperature range 10-160 K using a combination of a cryogenic 22-pole trap with a cold effusive beam of atomic hydrogen.
Results from quantum-mechanical calculations are in good agreement with the experimental data. The rate coefficient obtained for electron transfer is increasing monotonically with temperature from 1 X 10(-9) cm(3) s(-1) at 10 K to 5 X 10(-9) cm(3) s(-1) at 160 K.
The rate coefficient for associative detachment has a flat maximum of 3 x 10(-9) cm(3) s(-1) between 30 and 100 K.