Single and double $K$-shell vacancy production in slow Xe$^\textrm{54+,53+}$-Xe collisions

TL;DR

This study investigates K-shell vacancy production in Xe-Xe collisions at various energies, combining experimental x-ray measurements with relativistic calculations to understand vacancy creation mechanisms under strong perturbations.

Contribution

It provides new experimental data and theoretical analysis on single and double K-shell vacancies in slow Xe collisions, highlighting the role of strong perturbations.

Findings

Measured x-ray spectra at different energies and angles.

Derived cross section ratios for vacancy production.

Compared experimental results with relativistic calculations.

Abstract

We present an experimental and theoretical study of symmetric $\textrm{Xe}^{54+}+\textrm{Xe}$ collisions at 50, 30, and 15 MeV/u, corresponding to strong perturbations with $v_K/v_\text{p}$ = 1.20, 1.55, and 2.20, respectively ($v_K$: classical $K$-shell orbital velocity, $v_\text{p}$: projectile velocity), as well as $\textrm{Xe}^{53+}+\textrm{Xe}$ collisions at 15 MeV/u. For each of these systems, x-ray spectra were measured under a forward angle of $35^\circ$ with respect to the projectile beam. Target satellite and hypersatellite radiation, $K\alpha_{2,1}^\mathrm{s}$ and $K\alpha_{2,1}^\mathrm{hs}$, respectively, were analyzed and used to derive cross section ratios for double-to-single target $K$-shell vacancy production. We compare our experimental results to relativistic time-dependent two-center calculations.