Recombination experiments at CRYRING

Recent advances in studies of electron-ion recombination processes at low relative energies with the electron cooler of the heavy-ion storage ring CRYRING are shown. Through the use of an adiabatically expanded electron beam, collisions down to 10^-4eV relative energies were measured with highly charged ions stored in the ring at around 15 MeV/amu energies. Examples of recombination measurements for bare ions of D⁺, He²⁺, N⁷⁺, Ne¹⁰⁺ and Si¹⁴⁺ are presented. Further on, results of an experiment measuring laser-induced recombination (LIR) into n=3 states of deuterium with polarized laser light are shown. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Electron impact dissociation of ND<Superscript>+</Superscript>: formation of D<Superscript>+</Superscript>

Absolute cross sections for electron impact dissociation of ND⁺ leading to the formation of D⁺ have been measured by applying the animated electron-ion beam method in the energy range from the reaction threshold up to 2.5 keV. The maximum inclusive cross section is observed to be (16.8 ± 0.8) × 10⁻¹⁷ cm² at the electron energy of 65.1 eV. The appearance energy for the D⁺ production is measured to be (4.0 ± 0.5) eV. Collected data are analyzed in details by means of an original procedure in order to determine separately the contributions of dissociative channels. A specific Monte Carlo modeling has been developed, which is proven to reconstruct adequately the dissociative ionization cross section. The present energy thresholds provide information about the ground and excited states of the molecular ion, as well as about the possible population of the vibrational levels. The reaction D₂(v) + N⁺ (or H₂(v) + N⁺) is a probable source for that population and it constitutes the first step of the molecular activated processes, so the corresponding chain of reactions has to be considered to study the chemistry of plasma sources.     

Formation of D- by double radiative recombination of D+

We have investigated double radiative recombination of D⁺ ions stored in CRYRING by searching for the formation of D^- in the electron cooler. An upper limit for the double electron recombination rate coefficient and a ratio of this coefficient over the single electron radiative recombination rate coefficient of (3.8 ± 1.5) × 10^-8 are obtained experimentally. Theoretical calculations of the rates and a discussion in comparison with double photoionization of H^- are given. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Magnetic field dependence in electron–deuteron recombination at very low relative energy

The rate coefficient for recombination of D⁺ with low energy electrons has been measured at different magnetic fields in the interaction region of the electron cooler at CRYRING. It is found that the measured recombination rate coefficient is influenced by the magnetic field. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Recombination measurements at low energies with Au49+,50+,51+ at the TSR

Recombination of Au⁴⁹⁺, Au⁵⁰⁺, and Au⁵¹⁺ ions has been studied at the TSR. With Au⁵⁰⁺ ions a storage lifetime of only 2 to 4 s was observed with the magnetically expanded electron beam of the cooler at a density of n_e = 10⁷ cm^-3. This short storage time is a consequence of the highest recombination rate coefficient ever observed with an atomic ion (1.8·10^-6 cm³ s^-1 at zero relative energy E_rel = 0 between electrons and ions). At about 30 meV a huge dielectronic recombination resonance is found with a record small width of only about 15 meV. Such resonances fortuitously occurring near E_rel=0 are probably the main reason for the enhanced recombination rates observed with Au⁵⁰⁺, with Pb⁵³⁺ (in a recent experiment at LEAR) as well as with other complex ions. For Au⁴⁹⁺ and Au⁵¹⁺ the recombination rates are smaller by an order of magnitude. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Electron-impact ionization and dissociation of C<Subscript>2</Subscript>D<Superscript>+</Superscript>

Absolute cross sections for electron-impact single ionization, dissociative excitation and dissociative ionization of the ethynyl radical ion (C₂D⁺)^+) have been measured for electron energies ranging from the corresponding reaction thresholds to 2.5 keV. The animated crossed electron-ion beam experiment is used and results have been obtained for the production of C₂D²⁺, C²⁺, C₂⁺_2^+ , CD⁺, C⁺ and D⁺. The maximum of the cross section for single ionization is found to be (2.01 ± 0.02) × 10^-17 cm², at the incident electron energy of 105 eV. Absolute total cross sections for the various singly charged fragments production are observed to decrease by a factor of almost three, from the largest cross-section measured for C⁺, over C₂⁺_2^+ and CD⁺ down to that of D⁺. The maxima of the cross sections are obtained to be (14.5 ± 0.5) × 10^-17 cm² for C₂⁺_2^+, (12.1 ± 0.1) × 10^-17 cm² for CD⁺, (27.7 ± 0.2) × 10^-17 cm² for C⁺ and (11.1 ± 0.8) × 10^-17 cm² for D⁺. The smallest cross section is measured to be (1.50 ± 0.04) × 10^-18 cm² for the production of the doubly charged ion C²⁺. Individual contributions for dissociative excitation and dissociative ionization are determined for each singly-charged product. The cross sections are presented in closed analytic forms convenient for implementation in plasma simulation codes. Kinetic energy release distributions of dissociation fragments are seen to extend from 0 to 6 eV for the heaviest fragment C₂⁺_2^+, up to 11.0 eV for CD⁺, 14.2 eV for C⁺ and 11.2 eV for D⁺ products.     

Gain spectroscopy and plasma recombination in CdS

The spectral dependence of optical amplification (gain) is measured in highly excited CdS as function of sample temperature, excitation intensity and polarization. The results indicate the existence of an electron hole plasma with a density of 2,8·10¹⁷cm^-3, a critical temperature of 75 K and a binding energy relative to the free A_Γ6 exciton of approximately 9 meV. The spectral dependence of the gain is consistent with a momentum conserving recombination of the electron hole pairs in the plasma. We compare our experimental findings with some recent results of other authors.     

Recombination measurements at low energies with Ar16+ and Ar18+ ions in a dense, cold electron target

Recombination of multiply charged ions with electrons at very low relative energies has become a major topic of interest, due to the observation of rates which are enhanced beyond the expectations for radiative recombination. We present results for Ar¹⁶⁺ and Ar¹⁸⁺ ions from systematic measurements along the argon isonuclear sequence using a high density cold electron beam target (n_e = 7 × 10⁹ cm^-3) at the UNILAC of GSI. The transverse and longitudinal temperatures of the electron beam were determined from DR resonance features observed with metastable Ar¹⁶⁺ (2³S) ions. The rate at E_rel = 0 for radiative recombination of completely stripped Ar¹⁸⁺ calculated with electron beam temperatures kT_∥ = 0.002 eV, kT_⊥ = 0.2 eV amounts to α = 10^-9 cm³ s^-1. This is exceeded by nearly a factor of 10 by the rate measured in experiments with Ar¹⁸⁺ ions. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Production and fragmentation of the D10 meson in e+e− annihilations at √s=29 GeV

Neutral D¹ meson production in e⁺e⁻ annihilation at √s=29 GeV has been studied using the high resolution spectrometer. The decay of D¹⁰ into D⁰γ, where the D⁰ decays into K^−π+, has been observed. The production cross section in units of the point cross section is 0.63±0.22 for fractional energy Z⩾0.5. The fragmentation function is compared with that of the D¹⁺ meson measured in the same experiment.     

Comparison of photoelectron intensities and Franck-Condon factors in the photoionization of H2, HD and D2

The relative intensities of vibrational bands corresponding to the photoionization reactionX¹Σ_g⁺(υ″ = 0) + hv → X²Σ_g⁺(υ′ = 0, 1, 2 …) + e^? have been measured for H₂, HD and D₂, using He I radiation and a cylindrical mirror analyzer. These relative intensities differ significantly from squared overlap integrals (Franck-Condon factors) based on accurate potential curves for X¹Σ_g⁺ and X²Σ_g⁺, but are in good agreement with calculations performed by Itikawa which include the variation of transition moment with internuclear distance and the kinetic energy of the departing electron.     

On the bound states in the muonic molecular ions

Absolute cross sections for electron impact ionization and dissociation of OH⁺ and OD⁺ leading to the formation of the OH²⁺, O⁺, O²⁺, O³⁺ and D⁺ ions have been measured by applying the animated electron-ion beam method in the energy range from the respective reaction thresholds up to 2.5 keV. The maximum of the single ionization cross section is found to be (0.95? ± ?0.02) × 10^?19 cm² at 155 eV. The maximum total cross sections for O⁺ and D⁺ fragments production are observed to be (15.7? ± ?0.2) × 10^?17 cm² at 95 eV and (10.8? ± ?0.5) × 10^?17 cm² at 95 eV, respectively. The cross sections for O²⁺ and O³⁺ are much smaller, (5.37? ± ?0.04) × 10^-18 cm² at 135 eV and (7.95? ± ? 0.23) × 10^-20 cm² at 315 eV, respectively. The collected data are analyzed in details in order to determine separately the contributions of dissociative excitation and of dissociative ionization to the O⁺ and D⁺ fragments production.     

Influence of structural dynamics on charge recombination rates in photogenerated radical ion pairs: Evidence from EPR spectroscopy and computation

In order to better understand the dependence of charge recombination rate vs. temperaturek _CR(T) within a linear donor-chromophore-acceptor (D-C-A) molecular triad, the structural dynamics of the cation radical D⁺-C is studied individually using variable-temperature electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations. Here, the donor D isp-methoxyaniline, the chromophore C is 4-(N-piperidinyl)-naphthalene-1,8-dicarboximide, and the acceptor A is naphthalene-1,8∶4,5-bis(dicarboximide). The EPR spectra of D⁺-C exhibit marked changes in their overall shape throughout the 190–295 K temperature range. These spectra have hyperfine splittings that are strikingly well simulated with a model that includes methoxy group rotation, which occurs at a rate of 2.6 · 10⁴ s^?1 at 210 K and speeds up to 1.25 · 10⁷ s^?1 at 295 K, corresponding to an energy barrier of 38 kJ/mol. This considerable barrier reflects the partial conjugation between MeO and the aromatic ring and is confirmed by the calculated energy of a series of D^{+ ·}-C rotamers. The simulations also reveal that inversion of the anilino N center emerges atT > 250 K and can be represented by a planar and a pyramidal conformation with the equilibrium constantK = [pyramidal]/[planar] increasing from 0.029 at 250 K to 0.56 at 295 K. In the same temperature range, the charge recombination rate of D^{+ ·}-C-A^{? ·} accelerates abruptly and can be separated into two components, according to the above planar/pyramidal equilibrium. Thek _CR (T) of the pyramidal conformation has an activation energy of 41 kJ/mol, virtually the same as the barrier of MeO rotation. These results show that the intramolecular structural dynamics of the radical cation within D^+·-C-A^{? ·} control the overall charge recombination reaction with this radical ion pair.     

Radiative recombination of ions and nuclei in electron cooling systems

Experimental data on rates for the radiative recombination of nuclei (from helium to uranium) and various ions in interaction with an electron beam in electron cooling systems are reviewed. An analysis of the experimental data has yielded the dependence of the radiative recombination rate on the relative electron energy appreciably differently than the theoretical models obtained earlier by H. Kramers and R. Schuch. In addition, it is shown that the radiative recombination rate of nuclei in the experiment depends on the transverse electron energy as T _?? ^?0.82 ,which is also different from the results of the calculations by the theoretical model proposed by M. Bell and J. Bell. Experimental data on the cooling of ions in intermediate charge states are analyzed and the dependence of the radiative recombination rate on the charge state of the ion (electron-shell configuration) is shown. For some ion charge states, the rate of the process is of a resonance character. Loss to radiative recombination in the electron cooling system of the NICA Booster is evaluated for the Au³²⁺, Au³³⁺, Au⁵⁰⁺, and Au⁵¹⁺ ion beams. Limitations imposed on the Au79+ beam lifetime by radiative recombination in the electron cooling system of the NICA Collider are analyzed. Possible ways to decrease the radiative recombination rate of nuclei by selecting the parameters of the electron cooling system for the NICA Collider are proposed.     

Three-body recombination of ions with electrons in cooler-storage rings

Three-body recombination (TBR) of bare ions with free electrons of anisotropic velocity distribution is discussed in the context of recombination experiments in cooler-storage rings. The recombination rates are derived from the electron impact ionization rates using the modified Saha equation. Analytical expressions for the TBR rates and new scaling rules with main quantum number n, atomic number Z, and both transverse and longitudinal electron temperatures are derived for the low n-states regime probed in experiments in cooler-storage rings. In this context, the discrepancies found between measured rates and predictions for radiative recombination for the e + Ne¹⁰⁺ system [Gao et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 75 (1995) 4381] are discussed. Present results show that TBR rates for the flattened electron beam velocity distribution cannot account for the recombination enhancement observed at very low relative energies. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Fragmentation of polyatomic ions produced by electron-loss collisions of butane and isobutane molecules with ions of kiloelectronvolt energy

Fragmentation accompanying the loss of electrons by butane and isobutane (C₄H₁₀) molecules in collisions with energy H⁺, He²⁺, and Ar⁶⁺ ions of kiloelectronvolt energies is studied. The electron density functional technique is applied to C _n H_2n+2 alkane molecules and their respective C _n H _2n+2 ⁺ ions to carry out quantum-chemical calculations of the atomic spacing, electron total energy for the initial configuration of the ionizing molecules and ions in the ground state, and atomic bond breaking energy necessary to produce different ion fragments. The fragmentation energy is correlated with the fragmentation probability. It is shown that the relative cross sections of ion fragmentation depend primarily on the related energy consumption. However, the process cross section is also strongly affected by the initial configuration of C₄H₁₀ isomer molecules, as well as by the amount of dangling and arising atomic bonds involved in the formation of each ion fragment.     

Recombination of Au25+ with free electrons at low energies

The origin of the widely observed enhancement of rates for electron-ion recombination at very low energies is still unknown. We investigated the recombination of Au²⁵⁺ with free electrons in a merged-beams experiment at the UNILAC accelerator of the GSI in Darmstadt. At E _rel= 0 eV we found an enormous enhancement factor of 365 compared to the theory of radiative recombination. An increase of the electron density by a factor of 10 had not much influence on the measured rate coefficient. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A measurement of surface diffusion across steps on a curved surface (Pd on W)

The surface diffusion of palladium on the curved part of a tungsten crystal is studied by field electron microscopy. The variation of the local coverage distribution is measured by a probe-hole device on the stepped surface region around (001). The measured data allow a determination of the mass transport surface diffusion coefficient D of Pd on W across atomic steps as a function of temperature, coverage and step density. D has been found (1) to be constant for a given step density and for coverages lower than about 5 × 10¹⁴ Pd adatoms/cm², (2) to increase for higher coverages, and (3) to increase with increasing step density for a given coverage. The activation energy of the process is nearly constant (about 24 kcal/mol) for all coverages up to about 6 × 10¹⁴ adatoms/cm², while the pre-exponential factor of D increases with increasing step density. Interpretation of the results gives some information on the diffusion mechanism.     

Intensity distributions of spectral lines and elementary processes in a negative glow discharge column

The connection is established between the intensity distributions of the spectral lines along a negative glow discharge column and the individual elementary processes which take place in a low-temperature nonequilibrium plasma (direct electron excitation, step processes, recombination, collisions of the second kind, and charge exchange). The experiments were made in pure inert gases and mixtures of them at pressures 1–30 mm Hg and discharge current densities of 10^–2–10⁺¹ mA/cm². Knowledge of the intensity distributions together with some additional data (such as the electron density, the energy distribution function of the electrons, and the population of the levels) makes it possible to estimate more accurately the rates and cross sections of the reactions which lead to excitation of the glow discharge.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 7, pp. 41–49, July, 1980.     

Absolute cross-sections and kinetic-energy-release distributions for electron-impact ionization and dissociation of CD<Stack><Subscript>3</Subscript><Superscript>+</Superscript></Stack>

Absolute cross-sections have been measured for electron-impact dissociative excitation and ionization of CD₂⁺ leading to formation of CD₂²⁺, CD⁺, C⁺, D₂⁺ and D⁺. The animated crossed-beams method is applied in the energy range from the reaction threshold up to 2.5 keV. The maximum total cross-sections are found to be (1.2±0.1)×10^-17 cm², (6.1±0.7)×10^-17 cm², (6.4±0.7)×10^-17 cm², (26.3±3.8)×10^-19 cm² and (14.9±1.4)×10^-17 cm² for CD₂²⁺, CD⁺, C⁺, D₂⁺ and D⁺ respectively. Individual contributions for dissociative excitation and dissociative ionization are determined for each singly-charged product, which are of significant interest in fusion plasma edge modelling and diagnostics. Conforming to the scheme recently applied in the CD₄⁺ and in the CD₃⁺ articles, the cross-sections are presented in closed analytic forms convenient for implementation in plasma simulation codes. Kinetic-energy-release distributions are determined for each ionic fragment at selected electron energies.     

Energetics of “double” charge transfer and two-to-one charge-transfer adducts

Second-order perturbation theory and Hückel approximation are used to estimate the charge-transfer stabilization energy due to the mixing-in of the following dative configurations into the neutral donor (D) and acceptor (A) systems, (1) A^?D²⁺A^?, (2) D⁺A^2?D⁺, (3) D²⁺A^2?, and (4) D⁺A^?. $\text{General}$ parametric energy formulas are derived in terms of orbital overlap (S_DA), one- and two-electron electron affinities (E_A⁽¹⁾ and E_A⁽²⁾), and Coulomb energy differences (σU_c). These parametric formulas will help the assessment of the occurence and relative importance of the “defect” dative structures necessary for conduction. The specific case of the BZ-I₂ complexes studied show that (1), (2) and (3) exist with stabilization energies of less than 1% of that of (4). (4) is the conventionally known contributor to the usual “single” charge-transfer state.