Dynamics of fragmentation of a multicharge fullerene ion

Abstract

We have studied the process of fragmentation of a molecular ion of C60 fullerene, which takes place as a result of the loss of five electrons in collision with a 64-keV Ar6+ ion. The spectrum of kinetic energies of the fragment ions with a given mass, as well as the number of such ions, were determined from the shapes of lines in the mass spectrum measured using a time-of-flight analyzer. It is established that, in addition to the capture of electrons by the projectile ion, an important role in the formation of a multicharge molecular C60 ion is played by additional ionization of the target molecule. It is shown for the first time that the fragmentation of fullerene molecular ions is not a single-stage process. The kinetic energies and the mass spectrum of fragment ions are determined both by the Coulomb repulsion in a multicharge fullerene ion and by the subsequent additional decay of heavy fragment ions in the course of expansion.