Dynamics of correlated transfer-ionization in collisions with a fast highly charged ion

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the strong electromagnetic field of a highly charged ion influences the correlated transfer-ionization process during fast atomic collisions, revealing significant changes in electron emission patterns.

Contribution

It demonstrates the profound impact of the ion's strong field on correlated electron emission channels in transfer-ionization, a novel insight into collision dynamics with highly charged ions.

Findings

Electron emission opposite to ion motion is weakened.

Emission perpendicular to ion motion is suppressed.

Emission is redirected into previously weak regions of momentum space.

Abstract

Transfer-ionization in fast collisions between a bare ion and an atom, in which one of the atomic electrons is captured by the ion whereas another one is emitted, crucially depends on dynamic electron-electron correlations. We show that in collisions with a highly charged ion a strong field of the ion has a very profound effect on the correlated channels of transfer-ionization. In particular, this field weakens electron emission into the direction opposite to the motion of the ion and strongly suppresses the emission perpendicular to this motion. Instead, electron emission is redirected into those parts of the momentum space which are very weakly populated in fast collisions with low charged ions.