Recoil effects in N+ + N2 molecular-orbital x-rays

Hoogkamer et al (J. Phys. B.; 11:865 (1978)) have shown that continuum x-ray spectra observed in 35-200 keV N+ + N2 collisions are produced by a two-collision process: a projectile K vacancy is generated in a collision with the first atom of the N2 molecule; the vacancy is radiatively filled in a collision with the second atom. Using the quasistatic approximation recoil effects on the molecular-orbital x-ray spectrum are estimated; these are caused by the energy loss of the projectile in the first collision and by the possibility of recoil of the first target atom against the second target atom. In the estimation of recoil effects, as well as in the calculation of the uncorrected spectrum, screening is found to be important. At low projectile energies, recoil effects are shown to produce large distortions of the spectrum. (author)