Single-photon emission correlated to double-electron capture by bare ions: background processes

Abstract

Radiative single- and double-electron capture are one-step processes where a single target electron or two target electrons, respectively, are captured to a bound state of a highly charged projectile with the simultaneous emission of a single photon. In ion–atom collisions, several background processes are likely to contribute to these processes and may interfere with the measured x-rays due to radiative single and double capture. In this study, possible contributions from radiative electron capture to the continuum, secondary electron bremsstrahlung, the two-step process of independent double radiative electron capture, as well as radiative- combined with nonradiative-electron capture are taken into account based on our analysis of the data for 2.21 MeV u−1 F9+ ions colliding with a thin carbon foil.