Fragmentation of multiply charged hydrocarbon molecules CnHq+(n≤ 4,q≤ 9) produced in high-velocity collisions: Branching ratios and kinetic energy release of the H+fragment

Fragmentation branching ratios for channels involving H{sup +} emission and associated kinetic energy release of the H{sup +} fragment [KER(H{sup +})] have been measured for multicharged C{sub n}H{sup q+} molecules produced in high velocity (3.6 a.u.) collisions between C{sub n}H{sup +} projectiles and helium atoms. For CH{sup q+} (q{ =} 5), inner-shell ionization contributed in a prominent way to the ionmore » production. In these two cases it was shown that measured KER(H{sup +}) were in good agreement with PCCM predictions when those were corrected for Auger relaxation with the same Auger lifetime value as in CH{sup 3+}.« less