AUGER AND RADIATIVE FILLING RATES OF HIGHLY-CHARGED IONS BELOW METAL-SURFACES

We evaluate quantitatively the role of Auger and radiative recombinati on processes in the neutralization of slow multicharged ions in metals . The strong perturbation of the valence-band electrons by the ion req uires a nonlinear treatment which is carried out using density functio nal theory. We find that this perturbation creates an electronic cloud around the ion which has an atomiclike character. We show that it is this phenomenon which determines the order of magnitude of the transit ion rates, as illustrated by the evaluation of Auger and radiative rat es for Ne and Ar ions. [S1050-2947(98)06902-9].