Highly charged ions (HCI) are
ions in very high charge states due to the loss of many or most of their bound
electrons by energetic collisions or high-energy
photon absorption. Examples are 13-fold ionized
iron, Fe13+
or Fe XIV in
spectroscopic notation, found in the
Sun's corona, or naked
uranium, U92+
(U XCIII in spectroscopic notation), which is bare of all bound electrons, and which requires very high energy for its production. HCI are found in
stellar corona, in
active galactic nuclei, in
supernova remnants, and in
accretion disks. Most of the visible matter found in the
universe consists of highly charged ions.
[1] High temperature
plasmas used for
nuclear fusion energy research also contain HCI generated by the plasma-wall interaction (see
Tokamak). In the laboratory, HCI are investigated by means of heavy ion
particle accelerators and
electron beam ion traps.
[2] They might have applications in improving
atomic clocks, advances in
quantum computing, and more accurate measurement of
fundamental physical constants.
[3]
Highly charged ions (HCI) are
ions in very high charge states due to the loss of many or most of their bound
electrons by energetic collisions or high-energy
photon absorption. Examples are 13-fold ionized
iron, Fe13+
or Fe XIV in
spectroscopic notation, found in the
Sun's corona, or naked
uranium, U92+
(U XCIII in spectroscopic notation), which is bare of all bound electrons, and which requires very high energy for its production. HCI are found in
stellar corona, in
active galactic nuclei, in
supernova remnants, and in
accretion disks. Most of the visible matter found in the
universe consists of highly charged ions.
[1] High temperature
plasmas used for
nuclear fusion energy research also contain HCI generated by the plasma-wall interaction (see
Tokamak). In the laboratory, HCI are investigated by means of heavy ion
particle accelerators and
electron beam ion traps.
[2] They might have applications in improving
atomic clocks, advances in
quantum computing, and more accurate measurement of
fundamental physical constants.
[3]