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State-selective electron capture in collisions of low-energy multiply charged Ar and Ne projectiles with atomic and molecular deuterium

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:5375428
The physical mechanisms of electron capture in collisions of low-energy, multiply charged Ar and Ne projectiles with atomic an molecular deuterium have been investigated. The single electron capture process was studied using translational spectroscopy of the charge-changed projectiles. The final states of the captured electrons have been determined for Ar/sup +q/ with q = 4 - 8 and Ne/sup +q/ with q = 4 - 7 at velocities between 0.047 and 0.087 atomic units. These measurements indicate that the final state populations are determined primarily by the energetics of the individual collision partners. The final state populations were compared to a multichannel Landau-Zener calculation which assumes that capture occurs at a localized crossing of the incident and final potential energy curves. These calculations adequately describe the final state populations and reinforce the concept that each collision system must be treated individually in order to accurately predict these populations. The double electron capture process from molecular deuterium targets by Ar/sup +5/ projectiles was studied using time-of-flight spectrometry. The total laboratory kinetic energy of the deuterons released in the Coulomb explosion of the molecule following two electron capture was measured. The effective two-electron binding energy of molecular deuterium was found to depend on the collision velocity.
Research Organization:
Kansas State Univ., Manhattan (USA)
OSTI ID:
5375428
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English