Probing the Helium Dimer by Relativistic Highly Charged Projectiles
B Najjari1, Z Wang1,2,3, A B Voitkiv2
1Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China.
Physical Review Letters
|December 3, 2021
Summary
Relativistic projectiles fragment helium dimers into helium ions. Their extensive interaction range probes dimer properties and binding energy, revealing unique collision dynamics absent in smaller molecules.
Area of Science:
- Atomic and Molecular Physics
- Quantum Chemistry
- Collision Physics
Background:
- Helium dimers (He2) are weakly bound van der Waals systems.
- Understanding molecular fragmentation is crucial in atomic physics.
- Relativistic highly charged projectiles offer unique interaction dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the fragmentation of He2 dimers induced by relativistic highly charged projectiles.
- Explore unique interaction features between extended objects and ultrafast projectiles.
- Assess the projectile's capability to probe dimer ground state properties and binding energy.
Main Methods:
- Simulations of collisions between relativistic highly charged projectiles and He2 dimers.
- Analysis of fragmentation patterns and resulting He+ ion yields.
- Theoretical modeling of projectile-dimer interactions.
Main Results:
- Observed distinct fragmentation features due to the extended nature of the He2 dimer.
- Demonstrated that projectile interaction range significantly influences collision outcomes.
- Showcased the potential for precise probing of the He2 ground state.
Conclusions:
- Relativistic projectiles provide a novel tool for studying weakly bound systems like He2.
- The extended interaction range enables accurate determination of dimer binding energy.
- Collision dynamics with extended objects reveal phenomena not seen with compact molecules.
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