Critical remarks on a scaling law for inner-shell ionization

In superheavy quasimolecules the number of created 1ssigma-vacancies per collisions Psub(1ssigma) can be evaluated approximately by a simple scaling law. This analytical relation correctly reproduces the measured dependence of Psub(1ssigma) on the impact parameter, bombarding energy and combined nuclear charge Z=Z1+Z2. It is emphasized, however, that the absolute ionization magnitude is underestimated typically by a factor of four. This discrepancy has been successfully resolved by the inclusion of multi-step excitation processes. It is shown that the derivation of the normalization constant in a scaling law previously reported by Bosch et al. is incorrect in the framework of first order perturbation theory. (orig.)