Relativistic Transfer Ionization and the Breit Interaction

We consider correlated transfer ionization in relativistic collisions between a highly charged ion and a light atom. In this process two quasifree electrons of the atom interact with each other during the short collision time that results in the capture of one of them by the ion and emission of the other. We show that this process is strongly influenced by the generalized Breit interaction already at modest relativistic impact energies.

Figure 1

Energy-angular spectrum [in mb/(MeV rad)] of the emitted electrons in $152\mathrm{MeV}/\mathrm{u}$ $X^{Z_i+}+\mathrm{C}⟶X^{(Z_i-1)+}(1s)+{\mathrm{C}}^2+e^{-}$ collisions ($v=70\mathrm{a.u.}$). $Z_i=30$ (a),(b), $Z_i=40$ (c),(d), $Z_i=60$ (e),(f). The spectrum is given in the rest frame of the HCI, the emission angle is counted from the velocity of the atom. The results shown in the right (left) column are obtained using the full relativistic (Coulomb) electron-electron interaction.

Figure 2

Same as in Fig. 1 but for an impact energy of $304\mathrm{MeV}/\mathrm{u}$ ($v=90\mathrm{a.u.}$) and $Z_i=50$ (a),(b), $Z_i=63$ (c),(d) and $Z_i=70$ (e),(f).

Figure 3

Panels (a) and (b) correspond to Figs. 1 and 1(b) but the spectrum is given in the atomic (laboratory) frame in which the HCI moves under $180°$. Panels (c) and (d) show the “cuts” of the spectrum for emission energies of 18.5 and 27 keV as a function of the emission angle.