Search

The charge transfer process between a laser-cooled magnesium ion and a thermal barium atom in a radio-frequency ion trap in extremely low energy regime is observed. The merit of using the trap is that the generated ions are also confined in the trap. The occurrence of the charge transfer process is confirmed by the detection of the laser-induced fluorescence from the generated ions. The cross section of the process is estimated to be 10[sup -3] Å[sup 2]∼10[sup -1] Å[sup 2]. © 2000 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]