Coulomb explosion as a probe to understand the mechanism of electron stripping from ions interacting with crystalline solids

When an ion impinges on a solid, it rapidly undergoes a process in which its electrons are stripped away provided the velocity of the orbiting electrons is smaller than the projectile speed. Electron stripping determines any posterior behavior of the ions in the solid, and it is assumed that it takes place on the surface of the solid, but no information is available on the details of the process. Here we show, using the Coulomb explosion of ${\text{C}}_{2}^{+}$ ions moving in Si as a tool, that electron stripping takes place in an orderly manner and that the number of electrons stripped, before charge equilibration, depends on a characteristic length. We also propose a relation capable of quantifying this dependence. We foresee these results as a starting point to a more general understanding of ion-solid interaction, with important consequences on ion beam analysis and modification techniques, and special significance in silicon technology.