[en] Previous results from beam-foil spectroscopy and from experiments using field ionization techniques have shown that a significant fraction of fast ionic projectiles traversing solid targets can be excited to high Rydberg states. We report an experimental investigation of Rydberg states formed in atomic and molecular ion beams (MeV) emerging from thin-carbon foils. Different field arrangements, including μ-wave fields, have been applied to study the effects of field ionization. The yields of electrons produced via field ionization are compared for different projectile atoms and molecules