Cross sections for the loss of the outer 1s, 2s and 2p electrons for fast multicharged ions

Abstract

The cross sections sigma i,i+m for the loss of m electrons (m=1, 2, 3) for light ions in helium, nitrogen, neon and argon are measured at ion velocities V=2.7, 4 and 8*108 cm s-1. The values of sigma i,i+m are used to obtain the cross sections sigma i(nl) for outer 1s, 2s and 2p electron loss. It has been shown that in the range of V<or approximately=4*108 cm s-1 the cross sections sigma i(2p) for 2p electron loss are 1.2-3 times the cross sections sigma i(1s) and sigma i(2s) for 1s and 2s electrons at the same electron binding energy. The relations between these cross sections are in qualitative agreement with the variations of the electron binding energy when the electrons are promoted to the quasimolecular states.