Multiple ionization, fragmentation and dehydrogenation of coronene in collisions with swift protons

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>We present a comprehensive study on the multiple ionization and fragmentation of a PAH molecule, coronene (C24H12) with special emphasis on dehydrogenation and multiple ionization, in collisions with protons of energy 100-300 keV, relevant for solar wind. Dehydrogenetaion i.e. loss of H-atoms or H2 are also investigated from the measured spectra of cation, di-cation and tri-cation&amp;#xD;using a Wiley-McLaren-type time-of-flight mass spectrometer. H2 loss is found to be dominant mechanism over single H-loss in, with up to three molecules being lost. This observation is in line with some of the predictions and may provide important inputs towards the astrochemistry regarding the abundance of H2 in the inter stellar medium. The relative cross sections were determined for the recoil ion production. The ionization cross sections and their ratios were also calculated theoretically using continuum distorted wave–eikonal initial state (CDW-EIS) model and compared with the experimental results. The ratios of double-to-single and triple-to-single charged recoil-ions are found to be much higher compared to those for the gaseous atoms. The significant enhancement in the yields of di-cation (and tri-cation) may be related to multielectron correlation and plasmonic behaviour.</jats:p>