The physics of highly charged ions has become an essential ingredient of many modern research fields, such as x-ray astronomy and astrophysics, con trolled thermonuclear fusion, heavy ion nuclear physics, charged particle ac celerator physics, beam-foil spectroscopy, creation of xuv and x-ray lasers, etc. A broad spectrum of phenomena in high-temperature laboratory and astrophysical plasmas, as well as many aspects of their global physical state and behaviour, are directly influenced, and often fully determined, by the structure and collision properties of multiply charged ions. The growth of in terest in the physics of highly charged ions, experienced especially in the last ten to fifteen years, has stimulated a dramatic increase in research activity in this field and resulted in numerous significant achievements of both fun damental and practical importance. This book is devoted to the basic aspects of the physics of highly charged ions. Its principal aim is to provide a basis for understanding the structure and spectra of these ions, as well as their interactions with other atomic par ticles (electrons, ions, atoms and molecules). Particular attention is paid to the presentation of theoretical methods for the description of different radi ative and collision phenomena involving multiply charged ions. The exper imental material is included only to illustrate the validity of theoretical methods or to demonstrate those physical phenomena for which adequate theoretical descriptions are still absent. The general principles of atomic spectroscopy are included to the extent to which they are pertinent to the subject matter.

It is arguable that most of chemistry and a large portion of atomic physics is concemed with the behaviour of the 92 naturally occurring elements in each of 3 charge states (+1, 0, -1); 276 distinct species. The world of multiply and highly charged ions provides a further 4186 species for us to study. Over 15 times as many! It is the nature of human beings to explore the unknown. This nature is par ticularly strong in physicists although this may not be readily apparent because theses explorations are undertaken in somewhat abstract 'spaces'. It is, then, no surprise that we have begun to explore the realm of multiply and highly charged ions. Over the past few decades, a consistent1y high quality body of work has emerged as the fruits of this exploration. This intemationally based subject, pursued in universities and research laboratories worldwide, has ex panded beyond its roots in atomic physics. We now see it embracing elements of surface science, nuclear physics and plasma physics as well as drawing on a wide range of technologies. This speciality offers new tests of some of our most fundamental ideas in physics and simultaneously new medical cures, new ways of fabricating electronic gadgets, a major hope for clean sustainable energy and explanations for astrophysical phenomena. It is both a deeply fundamental and a widely applicable area of investigation.

Emphasizing a physical understanding with many illustrations, Introduction to the Physics of Highly Charged Ions covers the major areas of x-ray radiation and elementary atomic processes occurring with highly charged ions in hot laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. Topics include light and ion sources, spectroscopy, atomic structure, magnetic and

This book provides and elementary introduction to the field of trapping highly charged ions. The first group of chapters is intended to describe the various sorts of highly charged ion traps: EBIT, EBIS, ECR, Storage Rings and various speciality traps. The authors focus on their own ion trap facilities in order to teach by example. The chapters range in scope from comprehensive reviews to brief introductions. The second group of chapters is intended to give a flavour of the various sorts of scientific research which are presently being carried out with traps for highly charged ions. These chapters not only inform, but also stimulate newcomers to think up fresh ideas. The articles in this second group generally fall into one of three broad categories: atomic structure experiments, ion-surface interactions and precision mass spectrometry. The third group of chapters is intended to deal with theory and spectroscopic analysis. It provides some of the background material necessary to make sense of observed phenomenology, to allow detailed explanation of experimental data, and to sensibly plan further experimentation. An appendix provides a complete keyword-annotated bibliography of pa