Single and multiple projectile electron-loss and capture of low charge states of oxygen beams colliding with the methane molecule

Abstract

The projectile electron loss and capture are important ionization components collision channels in dressed ion-atom and ion-molecule collisions. They play important roles in several processes connected to the penetration of neutral and charged projectiles in gases, in radiation damage and upper atmospheric physics. In this work, cross sections for total single and multiple electron loss and capture of O-, Oo, O+, O2+ projectiles impinging on the methane molecule were measured in the 15 keV ≤ E ≤ 1000 keV energy range. In addition, an extended version of the free-collision model was employed for the calculation of the electron loss cross sections. Multiple electron loss was analyzed within the independent particle model.