The production of charged fragments of energetic hydrogen cluster ions by interaction with an H2O gas target

Hydrogen duster ions of 800 keV were passed through an H₂O gas target. The production and destruction of charged fragments was followed as a function of the target thickness. The comparison of the experimental results with those of a model calculation shows that the dominant process for fragment production is most probably the evaporation of H₂ molecules. Indications of the luminescence of clusters after electron impact are found from a background signal.