Recombination effects in soft-x-ray cluster interactions at the xenon giant resonance

Xenon clusters in an intense soft-x-ray pulse are examined in detail and compared with recent experimental results by reproducing the experimental signals (Thomas et al 2009 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 42 134018). Good agreement is found between our theoretical model and the experimental results. A detailed analysis of the experimental signals and their constituents is performed. We find that, unlike large clusters, the smaller N = 147 have a saturated electron kinetic energy distribution (Bostedt et al 2010 New J. Phys. 12 083004). We also find the highest charge states which are detected were initially on the outer shell of the cluster whereas the core ions recombine significantly and are detected as only moderately or singly charged (Hoener et al 2008 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 41 181001). Further, we find it is the outer shell ions which obtain the highest kinetic energy upon disintegration (Trost et al 2012 Frontiers in Optics Conf. (Optical Society of America) p FW5G.5).