Orientation dependence for multiple electron transfer from homonuclear diatomic molecules in collisions with slow highly charged ions

Orientation dependence is investigated for multiple electron transfer from homonuclear diatomic molecules in slow collisions with highly charged ions. Angular distributions of the molecular axis with respect to the incident b eam are calculated for r-electron transfer (1 less than or equal to r less than or equal to 10) from nitrogen molecules with the three-center Coulombi c over-barrier model developed by the present authors. The quadrupole aniso tropy parameter beta (2) obtained indicates universal variation with the in cident charge q; beta (2) similar or equal to -1 at the threshold (i.e. q = r), taking the minimum of beta (2) similar or equal to -0.1 at q similar o r equal to r, and converging to beta (2) similar or equal to -0.06 for q mu ch greater than r. The present model generally derives oblate distributions (beta (2) < 0), in striking contrast to the statistical energy-deposition model, which gives prolate distributions (beta (2) > 0) for multiple ioniza tion by fast-ion impact.