Charge transfer and fragmentation in cluster-atom collisions - art. no. 022715

Charge transfer and fragmentation in collisions of sodium cluster ions with caesium atoms have been investigated theoretically within a microscopic fr amework called nonadiabatic quantum molecular dynamics. To illustrate the c omplexity of nonadiabatic cluster collisions, in particular the interplay b etween charge transfer and fragmentation, Na-4(+) (2.7 keV) + Cs collisions are studied in detail with special emphasis on methodical aspects, It is s hown that integral and exclusive charge transfer cross sections can be unde rstood only if all types of fragmentation processes including statistical d ecay are taken into account. The influence of the cluster structure (isomer s, temperature, size) on measured and measurable cross sections is studied for different charge transfer channels as well as for fragmentation. In par ticular, cross sections for the exotic formation of caesium anions in such collisions are predicted.