Multi-fragmentation of C60 after collisions with Arz+ ions

We studied the fragmentation of C60 molecules in collisions with slow Ar+ ions (v ∼ 0.04-0.55 au) and with Arz+ ions (z=2, 3) at somewhat higher velocities (v ∼ 0.3-0.95 au). The measured mass spectra show C60q+ ions (q≤5), smaller C60-2mq+ fullerenes and C60-2mq+ + C n+ fission products. Special attention is devoted to the C60 multi-fragmentation process, i.e. the breakup of the C60 cage into several small Cn+ fragments (n=1-29). Up to seven correlated small Cn+ fragments (n=1-5) have been observed. The multi-fragmentation pattern depends on the projectile charge. Furthermore, it varies strongly with the projectile velocity for slow ions, whereas it becomes nearly constant for faster ions. This is in accordance with recent non-adiabatic quantum molecular dynamic calculations