3D momentum imaging of molecular dissociation induced by fast, heavy-ion collisions in the strong interaction regime

A system for recoil-ion momentum spectroscopy (RIMS) of molecular dissociation was constructed and its detailed description is provided. The system was tested by measuring the spectra of kinetic energy release (KER) in the dissociations of doubly and triply charged ions of CO, N2, and O2 molecules produced by bombardment of neutral molecules with 2.5 MeV/u Xe34+ projectiles. Employed calibration procedures and methods of data analysis are described. The KER spectra are characterized by high counting statistics and their associated energy resolution is evaluated in detail. Each spectrum displays a multiple peak structure. A comparison is made with previously published KER spectra for the dissociation of doubly charged ions of CO and N2 molecules and triply charged ions of N2 molecules obtained under similar conditions (i.e., in the strong interaction regime using fast heavy-ion projectiles and measured by means of RIMS), as well as with those for the dissociation of doubly charged ions of CO, N2, and O2 molecules obtained by means of Doppler-free time-of-flight spectrometry using a beam of electrons.