Kinetic Energy Release Distributions for C⁺₂ Emission from Multiply Charged C₆₀ and C₇₀ Fullerenes

We present asystematic study of experimental kinetic energy release distributions for the asymmetric fission processes Cq+60 C(iq-1\u3c)+70+ C+2 and C q+70 C(q-1)+60+ C+ 2 for mother ions incharge states q 4-8 produced incollisions with slow highly charged ions. Somewhat to our surprise, we find that the KERD for asymmetric fission from Cq+60 are considerably wider and have larger most likely values than the Cq+70 distributions inthe corresponding charge states when q \u3e 4

Two-Center Interference in p-H2 Electron-Transfer Collisions

We report on measurements of transfer excitation in collisions of 0.3-1.3 MeV protons with spatially oriented H2 molecules. Evidences of two center interference are found in the angular distribution of the molecule after a transfer excitation process and directly in the projectile angular scattering distributions. These features can be explained in a way which is analogous to that for the interferences in Young\u27s classical double slit experiment: The fast projectiles preferentially capture electrons close to either of the molecular nuclei, and thereby they change their momenta and de Broglie wavelengths. The waves emerging from the two \u27slits\u27 of the molecule interfere yielding the observed interference structure

Evidence of Wave-Particle Duality for Single Fast Hydrogen Atoms

We report the direct observation of interference effects in a Young\u27s double-slit experiment where the interfering waves are two spatially separated components of the de Broglie wave of single 1.3 MeV hydrogen atoms formed close to either target nucleus in H++H2 electron-transfer collisions. Quantum interference strongly influences the results even though the hydrogen atoms have a de Broglie wavelength, λdB, as small as 25 fm

Ions in cold electrostatic storage devices

We have constructed a compact purely electrostatic ion-beam trap, ConeTrap, which we have mounted inside a double-walled vacuum chamber. In the inner vacuum chamber, we can obtain ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions and reach thermal equilibrium at well controlled temperatures down to 10 K. The chamber was constructed partly with the purpose of making high-precision measurements in ConeTrap, but also as a test-chamber for testing components (such as the detector-assembly tested and described in this thesis and paper III) to be used in the DESIREE (Double ElectroStatic Ion Ring ExpEriment) facility. The latter is a double electrostatic ion storage-ring being constructed at Stockholm University, in which the conditions are meant to mimic the environment in the interstellar medium. The interaction between two oppositely charged ions at very low relative velocities (controlled collision energies down to 10 meV) may then be studied in a section of the storage device where the two ion beams merge. The lifetime of loosely bound electronic systems, for example He-, is, at room temperature (and even at much lower temperatures), significantly affected by photons from blackbody radiation from the experimental device and its surroundings. The cryogenic temperature and low pressure obtained in the test chamber have made it possible to use ConeTrap to make the first correction-free lifetime measurement of the long-lived J=5/2 fine-structure level of the metastable 1s2s2p 4Po state of He-. Under the assumption of a statistical population of the fine-structure levels, at the time when the ions are created, we have also deduced the lifetimes of the short-lived J=1/2 and J=3/2 fine-structure levels. Furthermore, we have used ConeTrap to measure the pressure dependent storage lifetimes of He+ and Ar+ ions over wide ranges of temperatures and pressures, and we have thus been able to store positive ions with storage lifetimes of tens of seconds.At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 2: Submitted

Kinetic-Energy-Release Distributions and Barrier Heights for C₂⁺ Emission from Multiply Charged C₆₀ and C₇₀ Fullerenes

We present experimental kinetic-energy-release distributions in the asymmetric fission processes C60q+ → C58 (q-1)+ + C2+ and C70q+ → C68 (q-1)+ + C2+ for highly excited mother ions in charge states q=4-8. We find that the distributions for C70q+ are considerably narrower and peak at lower energies than for C60q+ in the corresponding charge state when q\u3e4. Further, semiempirical values for C2+ fission barrier heights were extracted for q=4-6 by means of a statistical approach and the measured intensity ratios between fission and C2 evaporation

Experimental Separation of the Thomas Charge-Transfer Process in High-Velocity p-He Collisions

We present differential cross sections of electron capture in 7.5 MeV and 12.5 MeV proton-helium collisions. Complete experimental separations of the Thomas and the kinematic single electron capture processes in the two-dimensional He+ momentum distribution in the plane perpendicular to the fast ion beam have been achieved. We compare the resulting projectile angular differential cross section with the two most recent theoretical calculations and expose significant deviations

Operating a Triple Stack Microchannel Plate-Phosphor Assembly for Single Particle Counting in the 12-300 K Temperature Range

An assembly consisting of a stack of three microchannel plates (MCPs) and a phosphor screen anode has been operated over the temperature range from 300 to 12 K. We report on measurements at 6.4 kHz (using an alpha source) and with dark counts only (15 Hz). Without any particle source, the MCP bias current decreased by a factor of 2.1x 103 when the temperature was lowered from 300 to 12 K. Using the alpha source, and a photomultiplier tube (PMT) to monitor the phosphor screen anode, we first observed an increase in the decay time of the phosphor from 12 to 45 μs when the temperature was decreased from 300 to 100 K while the decay time then decreased and reached a value of 5 μs at 12 K. The pulse height distribution from the PMT was measured between 300 and 12 K and shows a spectrum typical for a MCP phosphor setup at 300 K and 12 K but is strongly degraded for intermediate temperatures. We conclude that the present MCP-phosphor detector assembly is well suited for position-sensitive particle counting operation at temperatures down to at least 12 K even for count rates beyond 6 kHz. This result is crucial and an important part of ongoing developments of new instrumentation for investigations of, e.g., interactions involving complex molecular ions with internal quantum state control

Operating a Triple Stack Microchannel Plate-Phosphor Assembly for Single Particle Counting in the 12-300 K Temperature Range

An assembly consisting of a stack of three microchannel plates (MCPs) and a phosphor screen anode has been operated over the temperature range from 300 to 12 K. We report on measurements at 6.4 kHz (using an alpha source) and with dark counts only (15 Hz). Without any particle source, the MCP bias current decreased by a factor of 2.1x 103 when the temperature was lowered from 300 to 12 K. Using the alpha source, and a photomultiplier tube (PMT) to monitor the phosphor screen anode, we first observed an increase in the decay time of the phosphor from 12 to 45 μs when the temperature was decreased from 300 to 100 K while the decay time then decreased and reached a value of 5 μs at 12 K. The pulse height distribution from the PMT was measured between 300 and 12 K and shows a spectrum typical for a MCP phosphor setup at 300 K and 12 K but is strongly degraded for intermediate temperatures. We conclude that the present MCP-phosphor detector assembly is well suited for position-sensitive particle counting operation at temperatures down to at least 12 K even for count rates beyond 6 kHz. This result is crucial and an important part of ongoing developments of new instrumentation for investigations of, e.g., interactions involving complex molecular ions with internal quantum state control

Electron capture-induced dissociation of AK dipeptide dications: Influence of ion velocity, crown-ether complexation and collision gas

The fragmentation of doubly protonated AK dipeptide ions has been investigated after collisional electron transfer. Electron capture leads to three dominant channels, H loss, NH3 loss, and N–C? bond breakage to give either c+ or z+ fragment ions. The relative importance of these channels has been explored as a function of ion velocity, the degree of complexation with crown ether, and collision gas. Our results indicate that H loss and NH3 loss are competing channels whereas the probability of N–C? bond breakage is more or less constant

Importance of Thomas Single-Electron Transfer in Fast p-He Collisions

We report experimental angular differential cross sections for nonradiative single-electron capture in p-He collisions (p+ He → H + He+) with a separate peak at the 0.47 mrad Thomas scattering angle for energies in the 1.3-12.5 MeV range. We find that the intensity of this peak scales with the projectile velocity as vP-11. This constitutes the first experimental test of the prediction from 1927 by L. H. Thomas [Proc. R. Soc. 114, 561 (1927)]. At our highest energy, the peak at the Thomas angle contributes with 13.5% to the total integrated nonradiative single-electron capture cross section