Electron-impact ionization of Biq+ for q=1-10

Theoretical calculations and experimental crossed-beam measurements are compared for electron-impact single ionization of Biq+ for q=1-10. The configuration-average distorted-wave calculations include both direct ionization and indirect excitation-autoionization contributions. For Bi2+ it is necessary to account for levels within an excited configuration that straddle the ionization threshold. This was included via level-resolved atomic structure calculations, from which statistical partitions of the configuration-averaged cross sections could then be made. Evidence is found for ionization contributions from an excited configuration in Bi3+ and Bi5+. Good agreement is found between theory and experiment for all the ionization stages of Bi studied