Ionization dynamics of helium dimers in fast collisions with He++

Phys Rev Lett. 2011 Jan 21;106(3):033201. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.033201. Epub 2011 Jan 20.

Abstract

By employing the cold target recoil ion momentum spectroscopy technique, we have investigated the (He+, He+) breakup of a helium dimer (He2) caused by transfer ionization and double capture in collisions with alpha particles (E = 150 keV/u). Surprisingly, the results show a two-step process as well as a one-step process followed by electron exchange. In addition, interatomic Coulombic decay [L. S. Cederbaum, J. Zobeley, and F. Tarantelli, Phys. Rev. Lett. 79, 4778 (1997).] is observed in an ion collision for the first time.