Double-electron transfer from Xe to Xe4+ at low energies as observed in the trap of a fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer

Multiply charged Xen+ ions with n⩽5 were generated by electron impact on xenon gas in the external ion source of a Fourier‐transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT‐ICR) mass spectrometer. These ions were transferred to and trapped in the low pressure FT‐ICR cell. Subsequently, xenon ions with a particular mass and charge state were selected by ejection of all other unwanted ions from the FT‐ICR cell and allowed to react with neutral xenon atoms. It was found that, in the interactions between Xe4+ ions and neutral xenon atoms, not only does a single electron transfer take place, but also a double electron transfer.