Projectile charge dependence of cross-sections for multiple electron capture and loss by 2 MeV/u Xe ions in nitrogen

A representative set of cross-sections for projectile multiple electron capture and loss in single collisions of 2 MeV/u Xe ions in nitrogen gas has been measured as a function of the incident charge. The cross-sections were used to describe the evolution of the projectile charge distribution as a function of target thickness and to predict the equilibrium charge distribution. A novel method is proposed for determining the projectile average equilibrium charge in gases from single collision cross-sections