First studies of state-selective electron capture in collisions of state-prepared ions with atomic hydrogen; the case of C2+-H(1s)

The technique of double translational energy spectroscopy has been used for the first time with an atomic hydrogen target. We have carried out measurements of state-selective one-electron capture in 6 keV C2+ -H(1s) collisions which avoid the ambiguities in interpretation of previous experiments and allow separate identification of the collision channels associated with either C2+ (2s2 )1 S ground-state or C2+ (2s2p)3 P0 metastable primary ions. In a theoretical counterpart, partial cross sections for both reactions have been calculated using a semiclassical molecular approach. There is good agreement between experiment and calculations. (author). Letter-to-the-editor