Electron Ionization of Size-Selected Positively and Negatively Charged Helium Droplets

A beam of size-selected charged helium droplets was crossed with an electron beam, and the ion efficiency curves for the product droplets in all different charge states were recorded. We estimate that the selected helium droplets on their passage through the electron beam are hit by several hundred...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Felix Laimer, Fabio Zappa, Elisabeth Gruber, Paul Scheier
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-10-01
Series:Atoms
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2218-2004/9/4/74
Description
Summary:A beam of size-selected charged helium droplets was crossed with an electron beam, and the ion efficiency curves for the product droplets in all different charge states were recorded. We estimate that the selected helium droplets on their passage through the electron beam are hit by several hundred electrons which can interact with the individual He atoms of the droplets. Reaction channels corresponding to the removal or capture of up to eight electrons were identified, and in all cases, inelastic scattering and the formation of metastable helium played a significant role.
ISSN:2218-2004