VERY HIGH KR7+* RYDBERG STATES AFTER ELECTRON CAPTURE FROM LASER-EXCITED RB*(17P) ATOMS INTO KR8+

State selective measurements of single electron capture in collisions at 40 and 18 keV of multicharged ions Kr{sup 8+} with laser-excited Rb*(17{ital p}) have been performed by use of a new field ionization detector. We have observed very highly excited states Kr{sup 7+*}({ital n}), as a result of the high degree of excitation of the target and of the high charge of the projectile. Wide {ital n} distributions of the cross sections have been obtained experimentally, with {ital n} ranging from 67 to 110. By using the classical trajectory Monte Carlo method, we have calculated even wider {ital n} distributions, in contrast to the extended classical over-barrier model which yields much narrower {ital n} distributions.