Electron collisions with 4He2+ at the TSR

The dissociative recombination (DR) of 4He2+ has been investigated at the heavy-ion storage ring TSR in Heidelberg. Rate coefficients were measured up to collision energies of 40 eV. Vibrational level populations were monitored using the Coulomb explosion imaging technique showing relaxation to the v = 0 level (>95%) through collisions with cold electrons within 50s. Low-energy DR rate coefficients are derived for v = 0, 1 and ≥2 which show a strong v-dependence. A low-energy super-elastic collision (SEC) rate coefficient of αv = 1→0SEC (Ed = 0)≈1.8×10−7cm3s−1 was found.