Nonfragmenting charge transfer in slow peripheral C60q+-C60 collisions -: art. no. 025201

We have investigated electron transfer and fragmentation of C-60 molecules in slow (1q-2q keV) collisions with C-60(q+) projectiles (q = 2-5) and atomic Cq+ projectiles at somewhat higher velocities. While the latter give the characteristic fragment distributions the former only yield intact C-60(r+) target molecules. Further, the atomic carbon projectiles ionize the target C-60 up to their incident charges, r(max) = q, while the maximum target charges are limited to r(max) = Int[(q + 1)/2] for C-60(q+) projectiles. The latter results are explained by considering the energy minima for q charges distributed on the equipotential surfaces of two touching spheres.