Total Cross Sections and Impact-Parameter Dependence of X-Ray Production in Ion-Atom Collisions

Extensive experimental data on the production of inner-shell vacancies have been acquired during the past few years. A rather complete picture of the production systematics from very light elements at low energies to very heavy elements at energies of several hundred MeV has emerged. A survey of some of these results for the energy and charge-state dependence of the total cross sections and of the impact-parameter dependence P(b) of the inner shell vacancy production process are presented and compared with theoretical predictions. A number of open questions in the field are discussed and a few suggestions for further work are given.