Fast Ion-Induced CO Molecule Fragmentation

Swift (6.7 MeV/u) highly charged ion (Xe44+)-induced CO molecule fragmentation is investigated by a coincident determination of the time of flight of the two fragments. A determination of the kinetic energy release (KER) distributions is realized for 18 dissociation pathways up to CO9+. The results are analysed in terms of the Coulomb explosion model. The evolution of the CO fragmentation results from the perturbative regime to the strong interaction regime is also compared to ion-atom behavior. The case of the dissociative singly ionized (CO+* ? C+ + O) channel is studied by Recoil Ion Momentum Spectroscopy. This technique is found to widely improve the KER resolution. High-lying components, above the double ionization threshold, have to be invoked to analyse the momentum spectrum.