A. A. Basalaev

Fragmentation of adenine and uracyl molecules through electron captures in collisions with ions

The time-of-flight mass spectrometry method is used to study processes occurring when 36-keV multiply charged Ar ions (Ar6+) capture electrons from adenine and uracyl molecules. Adenine and uracyl constitute one of two base pairs entering into the RNA composition. The fragmentation scheme of resulting molecular ions is derived by analyzing correlations between the detection times of all fragment ions. Fragmentation patterns for molecular ions resulting from molecule ionization by photons, electrons, protons, and multiply charged ions are compared.

Interaction of 3He2+ and Ar6+ ions with acetylene, ethylene, and ethane molecules

Time-of-flight mass spectroscopy methods are employed for studying processes occurring during capture of electrons by 3He2+ and Ar6+ multiply charged ions with energy 6z keV (z is the ion charge) from C2Hn molecules (n = 2, 4, 6) with different multiplicities of C-C bonds. Fragmentation schemes of the molecular ions formed in such processes are established from analysis of correlations of recording times for all fragment ions. The absolute values of the cross sections of capture of an electron and capture with ionization are measured, as well as the cross sections of formation of fragment ions in these processes. The absolute values of total capture cross sections for several electrons are determined.

Fragmentation of polyatomic ions produced by electron-loss collisions of butane and isobutane molecules with ions of kiloelectronvolt energy

Fragmentation accompanying the loss of electrons by butane and isobutane (C4H10) molecules in collisions with energy H+, He2+, and Ar6+ ions of kiloelectronvolt energies is studied. The electron density functional technique is applied to CnH2n+2 alkane molecules and their respective CnH2n+2+ ions to carry out quantum-chemical calculations of the atomic spacing, electron total energy for the initial configuration of the ionizing molecules and ions in the ground state, and atomic bond breaking energy necessary to produce different ion fragments. The fragmentation energy is correlated with the fragmentation probability. It is shown that the relative cross sections of ion fragmentation depend primarily on the related energy consumption. However, the process cross section is also strongly affected by the initial configuration of C4H10 isomer molecules, as well as by the amount of dangling and arising atomic bonds involved in the formation of each ion fragment.

Electron Capture and Fragmentation at Ar6+–C60 Collisions

Abstract Mass/charge spectra of recoil ionic fragments formed in collisions of C60 molecules with keV‐energy Ar6+ projectile ions were studied using registration of the fragments in coincidence with the projectile captured certain number of electrons s at the same single collision. Different channels of the fragmentation accompanied by additional ionization were observed. The degree of fragmentation is caused mainly by electronic excitation transferred predominantly to C60 at the electron capture and increases with s value from 1 to 6.

Processes of Charge State Change at Collisions of He2+ and ArZ+ Ions with Fullerenes

Abstract Using coincidence technique the relative cross-sections of charge state change and fragmentation at one and two electron capture processes have been measured for the first time at collisions of He2+ and Arz+ projectiles with fullerenes in the energy range (3-35)z keV.

Fragmentation of D- and L-enantiomers of amino acids through interaction with 3He2+ ions

The relative cross section of processes attendant on the capture of an electron by 12-keV 3He2+ ions are measured by time-of-flight mass spectrometry for leucine (C6H13NO2), methionine (C5H11NO2S), and glutmic acid (C5H9NO4) molecules. No differences between the formation relative cross sections of different fragment ions for the D- and L-enantiomeric forms of the amino acids are revealed. The spectrum of glutamic acid fragments taken at temperatures above 110°C is explained by decomposition of the acid with the formation of pyroglutamic acid (C5H7NO3) and water. The results are compared with published data on fragmentation of the same molecules via electron-impact ionization.

Capture of an Electron by Ions in Methionine and Norleucine Molecules

The relative cross sections of processes taking place when H+ and He2+ ions with an energy of 6z keV (z is the ionic charge) capture an electron from molecules of C5H11NO2S methionine (proteogenic amino acid) and C6H13NO2 norleucine (nonproteogenic amino acid) are measured by time-of-flight mass spectrometry (a methionine molecule transforms into a norleucine molecule by substituting the CH2 group for the S heteroatom). The fragmentation pattern of resulting molecular ions is established from correlation analysis of the detection times of all fragment ions. The results are compared with experimental data for fragmentation of the same molecules ionized by electrons and photons. In these amino acids, the pattern of molecular ion fragmentation is found to depend on the type of molecule ionization. However, the detachment cross section of the COOH neutral group or residue (neutral or charged) R of a side chain of the amino acid is invariably among the largest. The relative cross sections of capture with single and double ionization of molecules are measured.

Cross sections of electron capture and electron capture ionization versus the impact parameter in collisions of a proton with multielectron atoms

The absolute differential cross sections of scattering of hydrogen atoms resulting from an electron capture and an electron capture ionization are measured for collisions of 4.5- and 11-keV protons with argon and xenon atoms. The range of scattering angles is 0°–2°. From the scattering differential cross section found experimentally, the probabilities of single-electron capture and electron capture ionization as a function of the impact parameter are calculated. The dependences of the incident particle scattering angle on the impact parameter (deviation function) for interactions with Ar and Xe atoms are calculated in terms of classical mechanics using the Moliére—Yukawa potential to describe the interaction of atomic particles. Analysis is given to the probabilities of electron capture and electron capture ionization versus the impact parameter and to the distribution of the electron density on different electron shells in a target atom versus a distance to the core. It is concluded that only electrons from the outer shell of the target atom are involved in the process of electron capture ionization. The cross section of electron capture ionization is calculated in the proton energy range 5–20 keV.

Cross sections of electron capture and electron capture with ionization of argon atoms by fast 3 He 2+ ions at various impact parameters

The absolute differential cross sections of scattering of fast particles formed in processes with capture of one or two electrons from Ar atoms have been measured for 6-keV He2+ ions in the interval of scattering angles within 0°–2.5°. The cross sections of electron capture and electron capture with ionization have been determined as functions of the impact parameter. The probabilities of these processes are compared to the distribution of electron density in various shells of target atoms. Applicability of the models of screened Coulomb interaction potentials to description of the scattering of recharged particles is assessed.

Elementary processes during collisions of ions with tryptophan molecules

The relative cross sections of elementary processes occurring in single collisions of tryptophan molecules in the gaseous phase with He2+ ions with energy 4 keV/u are measured using time-of-flight mass spectrometry for studying the mechanism of radiation damage of amino acid molecules. The fragmentation channels for intermediate singly and doubly charged tryptophan molecular ions formed during one-electron capture, two-electron capture, and electron capture with ionization are investigated. Significant difference is observed in the mass spectra of fragmentation of intermediate doubly charged ions formed during the capture with ionization and double capture, which is associated with different energies of excitation of {C11H12N2O2}2+* ions.