Stabilization of autoionizing states during ion-atom collisions

Electron capture by slow multiply charged ions colliding on rare-gas targets is known to populate highly excited states of the projecile with very large cross sections. For double electron capture, (n,n') series with n approximately=n' are, in general, preferentially populated. Though these states are almost completely autoionizing, important radiative decay following double capture has been reported. Recently the fluorescence from n<