FAST NUMERICAL-CALCULATIONS OF ION-ATOM COLLISIONS Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • When an ion impinges on an atom, the cross sections for electronic transitions can be described in the independent electron model by functions of single electron amplitudes. A single centered expansion of the time-dependent wave functiion of an electron about the heavier nucleus, with charge ZN, is shown to be moderately successful in explaining the dependence of K-shell hole production on the charge, Zrmp, of the projectile. However, capture of electrons by the projectile is important for a complete understanding and can be incorporated, in principle, in the single-center approach by evaluation of a transition matrix element involving a final state on the projectile. This is not an easy theoretical problem even in an asymmetric (ZpZN) collision, because long times are involved which aggravate the inadequacies of a couple-state calculation where the continuum is replaced by a discrete set of pseudostates. Nevertheless a method has been devised which allows convergence in the truncated expansion of Hilbert states. Comparisons are made to experiment. Future developments are discussed. 1980.

published proceedings

  • NUCLEAR INSTRUMENTS & METHODS

author list (cited authors)

  • READING, J. F., FORD, A. L., & BECKER, R. L.

citation count

  • 6

complete list of authors

  • READING, JF||FORD, AL||BECKER, RL

publication date

  • February 1980