Cross sections for the production of highly charged argon and xenon recoil ions in collisions with high-velocity uranium projectiles

Cross sections for the production of recoil ions were measured for collisions of highly charged Usup(n+) (n approx.= 65-75) projectile ions with argon and xenon as a function of the projectile velocity (3.6-15.5 MeV u-1) and the final charge states of both collision partners. A recoil-ion-projectile-ion coincidence technique made it possible to distinguish between pure ionisation of the target and ionisation of the target plus capture of one or more electrons into bound states of the projectile (CI). It was found that hydrogen-like and bare argon ions are most efficiently produced at the highest velocity investigated by pure ionisation with cross sections that exceed 10-18 cm2. Highly charged xenon ions, however, are also most effectively created at the highest velocity but via the CI reaction channel. (author)