Contribution of the metastable states to electron-impact single ionization for W7+

Abstract

In this paper, we present the electron-impact single ionization cross sections for W7+. The level-to-level distorted-wave method implemented in the flexible atomic code (FAC) was used for calculation. Contributions from direct ionization (DI) and excitation-autoionization (EA) processes are taken into account. Comparison between the results of previous experimental measurements and the present calculations show a prominent contribution from metastable states in the W7+ ion. We extended the theoretical analysis including level-to-level calculations from long-lived levels of the [Cd]4f135p6 ground configuration and excited, metastable [Cd]4f145p5, [Cd]4f135p55d and [Cd]4f145p45d configurations. Calculated results are in good agreement with experimental data when, within a statistical model, a 56% fraction of parent ions in the ground configuration is assumed.