Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Three-Body Coulomb Problem Probed By Mapping The Bethe Surface In Ionizing Ion-Atom Collisions, Robert Moshammer, Appathurai N. Perumal, Michael Schulz, V. D. Rodriguez, Holger Kollmus, Rido Mann, Siegbert Hagmann, Joachim Hermann Ullrich

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

The three-body Coulomb problem has been explored in kinematically complete experiments on single ionization of helium by 100 MeV / u C 6 + and 3.6 MeV / u u 5 3 + impact. Low-energy electron emission (E e < 150 eV ) as a function of the projectile deflection ϑ p (momentum transfer), i.e., the Bethe surface [[15]], has been mapped with Δ ϑ p ± 25 nanoradian resolution at extremely large perturbations (3.6 MeV / uAu⁵³⁺ ) where single ionization occurs at impact parameters of typically 10 times the He K -shell radius. The experimental data are not in agreement with state-of-the-art continuum distorted wave-eikonal initial state theory.