Interatomic Coulombic decay

Interatomic Coulombic Decay (ICD) is a quantum phenomenon that occurs when two or more non-covalently bound atoms or molecules are in close proximity to one another and one of them becomes ionized or excited. This process leads to the transfer of energy from the excited or ionized atom to its neighboring atom through the Coulombic interaction of their charges. In simple terms, when one atom loses an electron (becomes ionized), it creates a positively charged ion.