INNER-SHELL EXCITATION IN HEAVY-ION-SOLID-TARGET COLLISIONS

In this Rapid Communication an ab initio approach to the inner-shell c harge-transfer process in heavy-ion-solid-target collisions is present ed. Unlike the extensively studied ion-gas-target systems heavy-ion-so lid-target measurements showed systematic deviations from available th eories. These deviations were interpreted as revealing a fundamental d ifference between collisions with gas and those with solid targets. Wi thin the framework of our relativistic formalism a quantitative descri ption of heavy-ion-solid-target charge-transfer processes is reached, thus laying to rest the old problem of solid-target effects. As an exa mple, the results for Cu on a Ni solid target are discussed.