Multiple ionization effects in low-resolution X-ray spectra induced by energetic heavy ions

The method of analysis of the multiple ionization effects in low-resolution X-ray spectra induced by heavy ions is described here. It is shown that, by fitting the X-ray spectra measured by a semiconductor detector with the proposed model, which accounts for the multiple ionization effects, the ionization probabilities can be determined as free fitting parameters. This approach is based on the assumption that the intensity distribution of emitted X-ray satellites is approximately described by the binomial distribution parameterized by the ionization probability at the moment of X-ray emission. In particular, we demonstrate that the excited X-ray satellites, when measured by a low-resolution semiconductor detector, appear as the Gaussian profile, which is shifted and broadened with respect to the diagram line. Moreover, we find that both X-ray line shift and width are expressed in terms of the multiple ionization probabilities, as well as the X-ray energy shifts per vacancy. These observations allowed to develop a novel method of X-ray spectra fitting. Detailed discussion of the approximations used in the present approach is given. The method developed, using the calculated Dirac-Fock X-ray energy shifts per vacancy, was applied to determine the multiple ionization probabilities in M- and N-shell by fitting the measured X-ray spectra for Lgamma(L --> N, O) transitions induced by heavy ions in selected high-Z atoms. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.