Differential Double Excitation Cross Sections in Proton-Helium Collisions Studied by Energy-Loss Spectroscopy

Abstract

We have measured ion energy-loss spectra for 150 keV proton-helium collisions as a function of the projectile scattering angle. From the data we obtained double excitation cross sections differential in the proton scattering angle as well as the ratios of both double excitation and single ionization to single excitation. In these ratios pronounced peak structures are observed at about 0.7 mrad. Two alternative interpretations of these peak structures are offered: They may be due to binary collisions between the projectile and the target electrons, or they could be a manifestation of an interference between different transition amplitudes leading to the same final state of the collision.