Electron capture by 50-keV fluorinated fullerene anions $({\mathrm{C}}_{60}{\mathrm{F}}_n^{-}$ $18<n<\mathrm{}48)$ produced in either a plasma or an electrospray ion source has been studied in collisions with Xe atoms. The relative importance of nondissociative vs dissociative electron capture was found to depend strongly on the ion production method and on the number of attached F atoms. The absolute size of the cross section $\sim {10}^{-16}{\mathrm{cm}}^2$ has been modeled within the over-the-barrier model.

• Received 21 December 1999

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.62.023202