Strong asymmetry of the electron-loss-to-continuum cusp of multielectron U28+ projectiles in near-relativistic collisions with gaseous targets

P.-M. HILLEBRAND; A. HASSAN; J. M. MONTI; R. D. RIVAROLA

PHYSICAL REVIEW A - ATOMIC, MOLECULAR AND OPTICAL PHYSICS

AMER PHYSICAL SOC

Lugar: New York; Año: 2016 vol. 93 p. 427091 - 427096

1050-2947

The process of electron-loss to the continuum (ELC) has been studied for the collision systems U28+ + H2 at a collision energy of 50 MeV/u, U28+ + N2 at 30 MeV/u, and U28+ + Xe at 50 MeV/u. The energy distributions of cusp electrons emitted at an angle of 0◦ with respect to the projectile beam were measured using a magnetic forward-angle electron spectrometer. For these collision systems far from equilibrium charge state, a significantly asymmetric cusp shape is observed. The experimental results are compared to calculations based on first-order perturbation theory, which predict an almost symmetric cusp shape. Some possible reasons for this discrepancy are discussed.