Charge-state distributions of nitrogen ions resulting from the foil-induced dissociation of 4.2-MeVN2+<

Vicinage effects in the charge state of swift molecular constituents traversing thin foils

“…In general, for a given velocity the average charge state of each molecular constituent is lower than that of the isolated atomic ion and depends on the molecular structure and velocity, as well as on the foil thickness [1][2][3][4][5]. This phenomenon is related to the proximity of the neighbouring atomic ions as they travel through the target, and it has been extensively studied, both theoretically and experimentally, during the last decades [1][2][3][4][5][6][7].…”

“…Recent experiments with N + 2 and C + n (n = 3-10) molecular ions incident on amorphous carbon foils [3,5] show that the vicinage effects in the charge state of each molecular constituent decreases with the foil thickness and increases with the number of atomic ions that form the molecular ion.…”

“…In general, for a given velocity the average charge state of each molecular constituent is lower than that of the isolated atomic ion and depends on the molecular structure and velocity, as well as on the foil thickness [1][2][3][4][5]. This phenomenon is related to the proximity of the neighbouring atomic ions as they travel through the target, and it has been extensively studied, both theoretically and experimentally, during the last decades [1][2][3][4][5][6][7].Recent experiments with N + 2 and C + n (n = 3-10) molecular ions incident on amorphous carbon foils [3,5] show that the vicinage effects in the charge state of each molecular constituent decreases with the foil thickness and increases with the number of atomic ions that form the molecular ion.In this work we present a model to calculate the charge state of an atomic ion, resulting from the fragmentation of a molecular ion, due to the vicinage effects produced by its neighbouring atomic ions, when they travel inside the solid target in a correlated manner.When a swift molecular ion with velocity v bombards a solid, it loses its binding electrons in the first atomic layers, and dissociates in its atomic constituents. Thereafter, mainly three processes affect the correlated motion of these atomic ions: the change in their electronic c EDP Sciences…”

“…Thereafter, mainly three processes affect the correlated motion of these atomic ions: the change in their electronic c EDP Sciences structures, the mutual Coulomb repulsion, and the energy loss due to the excitations produced in the stopping medium; all these processes are not independent, but mutually affected by the proximity of the atomic ions. For the energies and foil thicknesses to be discussed in this work, the energy loss is very small compared to the incident energy [3,5], therefore we will only consider the first and second processes to analyse the vicinage effects in the charge state of each atomic ion as a function of the foil thickness and the molecular structure. In the following we explain and formulate the model and then we compare our calculations with the experimental data.…”

Molecular structure effects in the energy loss of swift boron molecular ions in solids

“…Important phenomena appear in the interaction of fast molecular ions with solids, which are related to the charge state of the ions [1], the molecular structure [2][3][4], the modification and damage of materials [5][6][7], and other interesting processes in atomic collisions in solids.…”