Multiply Charged Ions, Hollow Atoms, Potential Sputtering.

Abstract

Interaction of highly charged ions with metalic and insulator surfaces were briefly reviewed with particular attention on hollow atoms (ions) extracted in vacuum. The paper firstly discusses some properties of highly charged ions, which is followed by the interaction of them with metallic surfaces including the classical over barrier model, hollow atoms in the first and the second generations, and several experimental findings which support the idea of the classical over barrier model. Then the major part of the present paper summarizes new findings, and future prospects relating to the extraction of hollow atoms (ions) into vacuum, which are realized employing microcapillary targets. The final part is devoted to briefly discuss recent findings on the interaction of highly charged ions with insulater targets, which include some interesting behavior of the potential sputtering of protons.