Production of very cold, highly charged ions by synchrotron radiation: Comparisons of the 'scalpel' and 'hammer' methods

Measurements of kinetic energies of highly charged argon ions produced by inner-shell photoionization and by ion-beam impact have been made using time-of-flight techniques. High-charge-state recoil ions produced by beams of ≅ 0.5-1 MeV/u Cl5+ are found to have energies one to two orders of magnitude higher than ions of the same charge produced by vacancy cascades following inner-shell photoionization by synchrotron radiation. The results may have application to the development of a very cold ion source useful for angle-resolved atomic collision studies. (orig.)