Single electron attachment and stripping cross sections for relativistic heavy ions

Abstract

The results of a Bevalac experiment to measure the single electron attachment and stripping cross sections for relativistic (0.5 < ..beta.. < 0.95) C, Ne and Ar ions passing through thin solid targets ranging in atomic number from 4 (Be) to 79 (Au) are reported. Magnetic analysis was used to separate the single electron, N/sub 1/, and fully stripped, N/sub 0/, ion beams emerging from the targets. Separate counters measured the number of ions in each charge state. The ratios N/sub 1//N/sub 0/ for different target thicknesses were fit to a simple growth curve to yield electron attachment and stripping cross sections. The data are compared to relativistic extrapolations of available theories. Clear evidence for two separate attachment processes, radiative and non-radiative, is found. Data are compared to a recently improved formulation for the stripping cross sections.