Publikationsrepositorium - Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf

The interaction of slow highly charged ions with solid surfaces is associated with many different phenomena. One of them is the formation of a hollow atom or ion already in front of the surface due to resonant electron transfer above the Coulomb barrier between the ion and the surface [1]. A hollow atom is a highly excited neutral particle, which will rapidly de- excite by either radiative or non-radiative processes [2,3].
Here we study the former process when Xenon and Argon ions with charge states up to Q=40 and Q=18, respectively, are transmitted through a freestanding single layer of graphene. Emitted x-rays are detected with a Bruker XFlash detector with an energy resolution of 140eV. Transmitted ions are also detected with an electrostatic analyzer, allowing charge exchange and energy loss measurements. Both ion and x-ray detection can be performed in coincidence in order to clearly distinguish between x-rays emitted from ions transmitted through graphene and ions impinging on the surrounding target holder (see Fig. 1).