Fast ion-induced CO molecule fragmentation

Swift (6.7 MeV/u) highly charged ion (Xe44+)-induced CO molecule fragmentat ion is investigated by a coincident determination of the time of flight of the two fragments. A determination of the kinetic energy release (KER) dist ributions is realized for 18 dissociation pathways up to CO9+. The results are analysed in terms of the Coulomb explosion model. The evolution of the CO fragmentation results from the perturbative regime to the strong interac tion regime is also compared to ion-atom behavior. The case of the dissocia tive singly ionized (CO+* --> C+ + O) channel is studied by Recoil Ion Mome ntum Spectroscopy. This technique is found to widely improve the KER resolu tion. High-lying components, above the double ionization threshold, have to be invoked to analyse the momentum spectrum.