Recombination of Sc3+ ions with free electrons

Recombination of Ar-like Sc3+ ions has been studied experimentally at the T SR for center of mass energies ranging from approximately 12-18 eV. In this energy range rather broad resonances from short lived Sc2+(3s(2)3p(5)3d(2) F-2) intermediate states are expected. For these resonances recent theoret ical work predicts strongly asymmetric lineshapes due to quantum mechanical interferences between radiative and dielectronic recombination channels. T he study of this heavy, low-charged ion suffered from a high background due to electron capture and the outcome of our experiment does not yet allow f or a conclusive test of the theoretical predictions.