Abstract
x rays emitted from ions passed through a thin Ni microcapillary foil were measured in coincidence with the exit charge states. Ions with a hole but with several electrons in outershells, i.e., hollow ions formed above a surface (in the first generation), were successfully extracted in vacuum. It was found that a considerable fraction of extracted hollow ions had extremely long lifetimes of the order of ns.
- Received 30 December 1996
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.78.4557
©1997 American Physical Society