Influence of the molecular nature of the target on probability of producing K vacancies in violent ion--molecule collisions

In experiments on violent ion-molecule collisions, we have observed that if the target molecule contains the lower-Z atomic-collision partner, as in e.g., ${Ne}^{+\to }$N₂, NH₃, the molecular nature of the target has no effect on the probability of producing K vacancies. If, on the contrary, the target molecule contains the higher-Z atomic-collision partner, as in, e.g., $C^{+\to }$N₂, NH₃, an appreciable molecular effect is evident.