Multiple ionization of Au by fast Sq+ ions of energy 0.4-3.8 MeV/amu

The measurements of the M- and N-shell ionization probabilities in gold bombarded by highly charged Sq+ (q = 4–14) ions of energy 0.4–3.8 MeV/amu are reported. The ionization probabilities were extracted from the measured L-X-ray spectra which were substantially modified by the multiple ionization effects. The observed L-X-ray line shifts and broadening allowed us (Banaś et al., 2002) to extract both the M- and N-shell ionization probabilities for the zero impact parameter. These ionization probabilities, which correspond to the moment of X-ray emission, were correlated with the ionization probabilities for the moment of ion impact ionization by using the vacancy rearrangement procedure developed here. In this way the ionization probabilities for the moment of ion impact multiple ionization were obtained. By comparing to the theoretical predictions of the semiclassical approximation (SCA) (Trautmann and Kauer, 1989) and the “geometrical model” (GM) (Sulik et al., 1987) based on the binary encounter approximation (BEA), the role of the electronic wave functions and the binding effect is discussed. Generally, the calculations using the hydrogenic wave functions reproduce the measured ionization probabilities.