Delta electron emission as an atomic clock in deep-inelastic and intermediate energy heavy ion collisions

Abstract

We investigate the spectra of electrons which are emitted during heavy ion collisions, traditionally denoted as δ-electrons. The slope in the kinetic energy distribution of ejected δ-electrons provides a finger-print of the occuring delay and deceleration times of the underlying deep-inelastic and intermediate energy collisions on the time scale 10 −21 - 10 −24s.