Charge-state dependence of fluorine-projectile K Auger-electron production

The K Auger-electron production cross sections of fluorine produced in collisions with thin helium- and neon-gas targets were obtained for incident fluorine ions of charge states $q=2$ to $q=8$ and incident energies of 6, 9, 12, and 15 MeV. The cross sections were measured with an electrostatic cylindrical mirror electron analyzer. The Auger transitions for the lower-charge states (q≤5) are from fluorine states created by ionization and excitation, but, for $q=6$, are from fluorine states created primarily by excitation. For the higher-charge states (q=7and8), single and double electron capture to excited states lead to the creation of autoionizing fluorine states.