2p excitation in target atoms in the interaction of slow ions with Al surfaces

•Spectra of emitted electrons are studied focusing on collisional excitation of target atoms.•Insight into charge exchange processes that occur during the cascade of atomic collisions initiated by the projectiles.•Electron emission is driven by the decay of 2p holes in Al, produced in symmetric collisions between recoiling target atoms.•2p excitations in Al can be created also via vacancy transfer processes during asymmetric collisions.•The observations are important in relation to studies of charge fractions and energy deposition by heavy ions in solids.