Projectile-charge dependence of ejected-electron spectra

We have studied H++He and 3He+++He ionizing collisions at intermediate energies (60 to 120 keV/amu) and have observed a significant shift in the velocity position of the maxima in forward-ejected electron spectra when changing projectiles from protons to α particles. In ionizing collisions, a large portion of the ejected electrons are stranded near the transitory equiforce, or saddle point, position between the target ion and receding projectile. The shift in the electron spectra maxima to smaller velocities, due to changing projectiles from protons to α particles, is consistent with the shift in the saddle-point velocity when the projectile charge is increased