Electron loss of fast heavy projectiles in collision with neutral targets

Abstract

The multiple electron loss of heavy projectiles in fast ion-atom collisions has been studied in the framework of the sudden perturbation approximation. Especially, a model is developed to calculate the cross sections for the loss of any number of electrons from the projectile ion, including the ionization of a single electron and up to the complete stripping of the projectile. For a given collision system, that is specified by the (type and charge state of the) projectile and target as well as the collision energy, in fact, the experimental cross sections for just three final states of the projectile are required by this model in order to predict the loss of any number, $N$, of electrons for the same collision system, or for any similar system that differs only in the energy or the initial charge state of the projectile ion. The model is simple and can be utilized for both, the projectile and target ionization, and without that large computer resources are requested. Detailed computation have been carried out for the multiple electron loss of Xe$^{18+}$ and U$^{6+,\, 10+,\, 28+}$ projectiles in collision with neutral Ar and Ne gas targets.