Effect of the target density on the cross section of charge exchange between fast ions and atoms

When fast X^q+ X^{q^ + } ions collide with atomic or molecular targets, the total charge exchange cross section decreases with increasing target density. This is because the excitation levels of resulting X^{(q - 1)+} X^{(q - 1)^ + } ions are suppressed because of ionization by target atoms. The effect of target density on the total charge exchange cross section may amount to one order of magnitude or more depending on the charge and energy of an incident ion, as well as on the density and inner shell configuration of target atoms. Numerical calculations are performed for partial (in the principal quantum number n) cross sections σ(n) and total cross sections σ_tot=Σ_nσ(n) of charge exchange in the case of collisions of fast multiply charged ions having an energy E in the range 100 keV/u-10 MeV/u with gas or solid targets.