Kinetic energy release in CO fragmentation by electron loss and capture collisions of fast B2+ ions

Abstract

Ionization and fragmentation of CO molecules have been investigated in charge-changing collisions of B2+ ions at v = 1.69 a.u.. Fragment ions from CO were measured by using a momentum 3D imaging technique in coincidence with outgoing projectile charge states. We deduced the kinetic energy release (KER) associated with charge-changing collisions of B2+ to B3+, B1+ and B0+. The KER spectra in the fragmentation to C+ and O+ ions are found to be different to some extent for these loss and capture collisions. It is concluded that the electron loss collision populates the intact CO molecule to highly excited states of (CO)2+1 more effectively than electron capture collisions, resulting from different effective impact parameters associated with loss and capture collisions.