Ar K X-ray production in slow, highly charged Ar q+(q = 8–18) + Ar collisions

In the present work, mechanisms of Ar K X-ray production have been investigated under low-energy Arq+ + Ar collisions in a wide range of the ion-charge states. Ar K X-rays have been observed as a function of the collision energy over (0.75–3.75)q keV/u and of the charge state over q = 8–16 of projectile Arq+ ions. If the L-shell vacancies become available (q = 9), Ar K X-ray yields are found to be enhanced roughly three orders of magnitude, compared with Ar8+ ions with no L-shell vacancy; to show some threshold; and to tend to quickly saturate at higher collision energies. The present analysis, based on the energy correlation diagrams of the quasi-molecules, suggests that Ar K X-rays originate entirely from target Ar atoms through promotion via the rotational coupling between 2pσ –2pπ molecular orbitals. Furthermore, the observed cross sections are found to increase nonlinearly with the projectile Arq+ ion charge q (q = 9). This can be understood because of the combined effects of two contributions: (i) the increased number of the L-shell vacancies of projectile Arq+ ions and (ii) the enhanced fluorescence yields of target Ar atom. In addition, Ar K X-rays have been observed under 2.5q keV/u Ar17+ and Ar18+ + Ar collisions and found to originate from the decay of K-shell vacancies initially present in the projectile Ar ions through electron capture into their highly excited states, followed by cascade down to the ground states. For the first time, though very weak, the X-rays due to the two-electron–one-photon transition, namely, K αα lines, have also been observed in bare Ar18+ ion collisions. PACS Nos.: 34.70+e, 32.80Rm