Single and Double Ionization of Helium by Fast Antiproton and Proton Impact

Abstract

The first ion-atom-collision data obtained with antiprotons are presented. We measured the single-and double-ionization cross section for 0.5-5-MeV antiprotons and protons colliding with helium. For ion energies above -2 MeV, the single-ionization cross section is the same for protons and antiprotons. However, surprisingly, the double-ionization cross section for antiprotons is approximately a factor of 2 larger than that for protons. The present data constitute a challenge for future theoretical models of charged-particle-atom collisions.PACS numbers: 34.50.Fa A powerful method for disclosing the various mechanisms that create atomic transitions in ion-atom collisions is to investigate the dependence of the relevant cross sections on the projectile charge. With the establishment of a low-energy antiproton beam at the Low-Energy Antiproton Ring (LEAR) facility at CERN, we are now able to compare such cross sections for heavy projectiles of opposite charge but having the same mass. We present in this Letter the first such experimental investigation.Most theoretical studies of collisions between charged particles and many-electron atoms have until now been based on the so-called independent-particle model. Here atomic transitions are calculated as if the active electron were independent of the other target electrons, the presence of which is approximately accounted for by an effective potential. However, as pointed out by, e.g., Ford and Reading 1 and McGuire, 2 there are a number of cases where this approximation is clearly inadequate, and it is generally accepted that future developments of theory in this field must include effects stemming from both static and dynamic electron-electron correlation. Currently, such refinements are emerging, 1,3 and it is therefore important to obtain experimental data for correlation-influenced processes that will make possible a judgment of the validity of these new theoretical approaches to the many-particle problem.One such collision process, which is especially suitable, is the double ionization of helium by -1-MeV/amu singly charged pointlike particles. There are a number of reasons for this: First, the helium atom is the simplest target containing more than one electron. Second, due to the small nuclear charge, both static and dynamic electron-electron interactions give rise to large effects in the double-ionization cross section, 4 and third, the primary projectile singleelectron interaction is well understood and can be treated accurately by first-order perturbation theory.The main parameter to be discussed in this Letter is the ratio R between the double-and single-ionization cross section. This parameter is determined directly and with high accuracy in our experiment. It further contains the basic information on the processes causing double ionization.

The ratio of cross sections for double to single ionization of helium by high energy photons and charged particles

“…Of particular interest are those results obtained for projectiles in high charge states at high velocity, v. In the discussion below, regimes of validity are delineated for each of the mechanisms, and ratios of double-to-single ionization cross sections are presented and compared with theoretical predictions. Double ionization of helium by charged particles has been the subject of numerous experimental and theoretical investigations for nearly three decades [Mittleman 1966, Byron and Joachain 1966, Horsdal-Pedersen and Larson 1979, McGuire 1982, Knudsen et al 1984, Andersen et al 1986, 1987, Reading and Ford 1987a, Reading and Ford 1987b, Giese and Horsdal 1988, Kamber et al 1988, Reading et al 1989, Herber et al 1990]. Much ofthe interest in double ionization by charged particles stems from its fundamental nature [Mittleman 1966, Byron and Joachain 1966, McGuire 1982 and its relationship to double ionization by photons [HorsdalPedersen and Larsen 1979, Samson 1990, Levin et al 1991] (see Sec.…”

Time-dependent close-coupling study of antiproton-impact ionization of atoms and molecules

“…Therefore, antiproton beams of MeV kinetic energies or even lower have been obtained. In 1986, the first experiment bearing on collisions of antiprotons with atoms was successfully performed at CERN [2]. The experiment showed that the double ionization cross sections for He atoms upon antiproton collisions are much greater than those upon proton collisions at the same energy range 0.5-4.1 MeV.…”

Charge asymmetry effects in inner-shell alignment induced by ion-atom collisions

“…The purpose of the present work is to study charge asymmetry effects in the differen-tial and total alignment of inner shells of medium and heavy atoms. This study has been stimulated by the recent experiments performed with the low energy antiproton beam at CERN [16,17].…”