Generalized Kolbenstvedt model for electron impact ionization of K-, L- and M-shell atoms

The recently modified Kolbenstvedt (MKLV) model [Eur. Phys. J. D 37, 361 (2006)], developed for electron impact ionization (EII) of the K-shell atomic targets, has been extended to generalize its two parameters in terms of the electronic orbitals nl. The generalized MKLV (GKLV) with two sets of the species independent parameters for the same nl, one set for the ionization of inner orbits and another for the outermost orbit, is found profoundly successful in accounting for the EII cross section data of the K, L and M-shell neutral atoms with atomic numbers Z = 1-92 for the incident energies up to 1000 MeV in a consistent manner.     

Triple differential cross section of electron impact ionisation of Na(3s, 3p, 3d)

The fivefold differential cross section (5DCS) of the ionisation by electron impact of atomic sodium is determined theoretically for its fundamental 3s(² S) state and the excited 3p(² P) and 3d(² D) states by a procedure which employs in the transition matrix element of the first order Born approximation, the correlated double continuum (3C) wave function. This permits us to determine the statistical M-state population and the orientation and alignment tensors in (e,2e) detection. It is also shown that, the use of Gamow correlation term, in the independent particle (2C) model, reproduces, only in some situations, the shape of the angular distribution of the 5DCS obtained by the (3C) wave function. Received: 17 November 1997 / Received in final form: 16 March 1998 / Accepted: 21 March 1998     

Electron impact single and double ionization of magnesium

Electron impact single and double ionization cross-sections for magnesium have been calculated in the binary encounter model using accurate expression for (cross-section for energy transfer ΔE) as given by Vriens. Hartree-Fock velocity distributions for the target electrons have been used throughout the calculations. In case of double ionization contributions of inner shell ionization and Auger emission have been included in the present work. The results obtained in case of single ionization are excellent and at the same time the double ionization cross-sections show reasonably good agreement with the recent experimental observations. Substantiation of the viewpoint of Peach, and Boivin and Srivastava that a vacancy in the 2p shell of magnesium leads to double ionization is a remarkable feature of the present investigation. Received 9 October 2001 / Received in final form 8 January 2002 Published online 28 June 2002     

Empirical model for electron impact ionization cross sections of neutral atoms

A simple empirical formula is proposed for the rapid calculation of electron impact total ionization cross sections both for the open- and closed-shell neutral atoms considered in the range 1≤ Z≤92 and the incident electron energies from threshold to about 10⁴ eV. The results of the present analysis are compared with the available experimental and theoretical data. The proposed model provides a fast method for calculating fairly accurate electron impact total ionization cross sections of atoms. This model may be a prudent choice, for the practitioners in the field of applied sciences e.g. in plasma modeling, due to its simple inherent structure.     

Ionisation of phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, and bismuth by electron impact

Total ionization cross sections of neutral phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, and bismuth atoms by electron impact are reported and compared to the only available experimental results by Freund et al. [Phys. Rev. A 41, 3575 (1990)]. These calculations take into account the possibilities that some target atoms used in the experiments were in metastable states close to the ground state, the excitation-autoionization of nsnp⁴ excited states may be substantial, and the ions produced in experiments may be in excited, low-lying metastable states. The cross sections for direct ionization calculations are based on the BEB model by Kim and Rudd [Phys. Rev. A 50, 3954 (1994)]. Plane-wave Born cross sections scaled by the method developed by Kim [Phys. Rev. A 64, 3954 032713 (2001)] are used to determine the contributions from excitation-autoionization. The combination of the BEB model and the scaled Born cross sections is in agreement with the experimental data by Freund et al. These theoretical data are useful to experimentalists and can be used to complete data tables needed for plasma or astrophysical studies.     

Positron impact ionisation of He ion

Triple differential cross-sections (TDCS) of a hydrogenic (He⁺) ion has been studied by positron impact using coplaner geometry for both symmetric and asymmetric kinematics in the intermediate and medium high incident energy region. TDCS has also been studied of He⁺ ion by electron impact for symmetric kinematics taking account of the electron exchange effect. The final state wavefunction is chosen as the correlated 3-body Coulomb wavefunction satisfying the exact asymptotic boundary condition. The long range Coulomb interaction in the initial channel between the ionic target and the projectile has also been taken into account properly. For positron impact, the collision is found to be almost recoilless at lower incident energies, in contrast to the strong recoil peak noted in the case of electron impact ionisation. For electron impact, the exchange effect is found to be significantly high for equal energy sharing in the final channel. Received 10 July 1999 and Received in final form 7 December 1999     

Use of a fast beam target for the determination and reduction of the cascade contribution to electron excitation cross-section measurements

This paper describes a method for reducing the influence of cascades on the measurement of electron excitation cross sections using the optical method and a fast beam atomic target. By using a fast beam of target atoms one can reduce the influence of cascades on a measurement, and estimate the cascade contribution to the excitation signal. Received 19 April 1999 and Received in final form 10 August 1999     

Coincidence studies of electron impact ionization of atomic inner shells

We consider (e,2e) processes on the 2s and 2p shells of argon and magnesium. We present triple differential cross sections in coplanar asymmetric geometry calculated in the Plane Wave Born, 1st Born and Distorted Wave Born approximations. We show that the currently available relative experiments can not easily distinguish between these approximations. We make proposals for relative experiments where the difference between these approaches can be more readily observed.     

“Electron collisional excitation of argon-like Ni XI using the Breit-Pauli R-matrix method”

In a recent paper, Verma et al. [Eur. Phys. J. D 42, 235 (2007)] have reported results for energy levels, radiative rates, collision strengths, and effective collision strengths for transitions among the lowest 17 levels of the (1s²2s²2p⁶)3s²3p⁶, 3s²3p⁵3d and 3s3p⁶3d configurations of Ni xi. They adopted the civ3 and R-matrix codes for the generation of wavefunctions and the scattering process, respectively. In this paper, through two independent calculations performed with the fully relativistic darc (along with grasp) and fac codes, we demonstrate that their results are unreliable. New data are presented and their accuracy is assessed.     

Total cross-sections for positron scattering by a series of molecules

The additivity rule is employed to obtain the total (elastic+inelastic) cross-sections for positron scattering from molecules including a number of diatomic, polyatomic molecules (H₂, N₂, HCl, CO₂, NH₃, SF₆, CH₄, C₂H₄ and C₃H₈) over an incident energy range of 10-1000 eV. The total cross-sections (TCS) of the constituent atoms of molecules are obtained by employing a complex optical model potential (composed of static, polarization and absorption potential). The present results are compared with experimental data and other theoretical calculations, good agreement is obtained in intermediate- and high-energy region. Received: 11 November 1997 / Revised: 23 March 1998 / Accepted: 16 June 1998     

Ionization of metastable H(2S) atom by electron and positron impact

Summary Triple differential cross-section (TDCS) of hydrogen atom in its metastable (2S) state is studied theoretically by electron and positron impact for coplanar and asymmetric geometry. The final-state wave function in the present model satisfies the asymptotic boundary condition for asymmetric geometry (i.e. fork ₁≫k ₂). In the absence of experiment, present results are compared with other existing theoretical results. Apart from the double-peaked structure of the TDCS as in ground-state ionization, some interesting secondary structures are found, in conformity with other theories for ionization from 2S state.     

Mutual electron-ion interactions in electron impact ionization of a Ca beam

Summary We evaluate the role of electron-ion mutual interactions as a possible source of systematic errors in an experiment of electron impact ionization and excitation of an effusive Ca beam. By monitoring photons resulting from the impact excitation of a Ca resonant transition, the transmitted electron beam current by a sectored Faraday cup and total ion yields, we extract information about elementary processes responsible for ionization. We show that our diagnosis allows us to monitor the influence of the produced ionization on the elementary processes and on the density profile of the electro beam.     

Electron impact ionization of helium isoelectronic systems

The electron impact single ionization cross sections, on the helium isoelectronic He, Li¹⁺, B³⁺, C⁴⁺, N⁵⁺, O⁶⁺, Ne⁸⁺, Na⁹⁺, Ar⁺¹⁶, Fe²⁴⁺, Mo⁴¹⁺, Ag⁴⁵⁺, and U⁹⁰⁺ targets, are calculated modifying the simplified Bell (SBELL) model [Eur. Phys. J. D 46, 281 (2008)]. The results of the present analysis are compared with the available experimental and theoretical data. The modified SBELL (MSBELL) model, incorporating the ionic correction factor in it, produces excellent agreement with the experimental data and theoretical calculations for all the two-electron systems, neutral or ions. This model may be a prudent choice in plasma modeling due to its simple inherent structure.     

Calculation of dielectronic recombination cross sections and rate coefficients for heliumlike carbon

A simplified relativistic configuration interaction method is used to calculate the dielectronic recombination cross sections and rate coefficients for heliumlike carbon. In this method, the infinite resonant doubly excited states can be treated conveniently in the frame of Quantum Defect Theory. Our calculated cross sections are in agreements with the experimental measurements except for the 1s2lnl'(n=6,7) resonances. The total energy-integrated cross sections and rate coefficients over all dielectronic resonances are in agreements with the experimental measurements within percent. Received: 7 July 1997 / Revised: 7 October 1997 / Accepted: 8 December 1997     

Calculation of the contributions from high-n dielectronic satellites to the resonance line in helium-like iron

A simplified relativistic configuration interaction method is used to study the dielectronic satellite transition processes. In this method, the infinite resonant doubly excited states can be calculated, and furthermore, the whole high-n dielectronic satellite transition processes can be treated conveniently by interpolation (rather than extrapolation) in the frame of Quantum Defect Theory. As an example, we calculate the contributions from high-n dielectronic satellites to the resonance line in helium-like iron, and the results are in good agreement with the experimental measurements. Received: 16 April 1998 / Revised: 8 September 1998 / Accepted: 14 September 1998     

Calculation of absolute electron-impact ionization cross-sections of dimers and trimers

We report calculations of the electron-impact ionization cross-sections of selected dimers (homonuclear diatomic molecules) and trimers (homonuclear triatomic molecules) using a method which relies only on macroscopic quantities in conjunction with a “defect concept”. The empirically determined defect describes the deviation of the cluster (dimer, trimer) cross-sections from a simple linear dependence on the cluster size. We compare the calculated cross-sections to experimental data for the dimers S₂ and F₂ and the trimer O₃ and we present predictions for the ionization cross-sections of Br₂, I₂, C₂ and C₃ for which no experimental data are available. Lastly, we extend the method to the calculation of ionization cross-sections for the fullerenes C₆₀ and C₇₀. Received 6 December 1999 and Received in final form 10 April 2000     

Dissociative excitation of the fluoromethanes by electron impact

Emission spectra following electron impact on molecules of the homologous series of fluoromethanes CH_xF_4-x with x=0-4 have been investigated from the near infrared at 700 nm to the ultraviolet VUV-spectral region at 100 nm. Earlier experimental data for the visible and ultraviolet spectral region were revised and evaluated again on the basis of reliable new data for the dynamic viscosity of the molecules. The measurement of absolute and relative cross-sections were systematically extended into the VUV region from 100 nm to 200 nm. The examination of atomic lines as well as molecular band systems in the VUV gives further insight into the dissociation mechanism and shows that many excited levels even of atomic and molecular species cannot be populated directly, but only by transitions from higher-lying energy levels. Simple steric effects can be distinguished from more complex transition phenomena. Received: 25 February 1998 / Revised: 29 May 1998 and 18 June 1998 / Accepted: 23 June 1998     

Electron collisional excitation of argon-like Ni XI using the Breit-Pauli R-matrix method

Electron excitation collision strengths for the transitions from the ground state to the fine-structure levels of the 3s²3p⁵3d and 3s²3p⁶3d configurations in Ni XI are calculated using the Breit-Pauli R-matrix method. Configuration interaction wavefunctions have been used to represent the target states. The relativistic effects are incorporated in the Breit-Pauli approximation by including one-body mass correction, Darwin, and spin-orbit interaction terms in the scattering equations. Collision strengths are tabulated at selected energies in the range 10 to 75 Rydberg. Effective collision strengths are determined by integrating collision strengths by assuming a Maxwellian distribution of electron energies. The effective collision strengths are listed over a wide temperature range (2×10⁴-1×10⁷ K) applicable to astrophysical plasmas. Our results are the only collision strengths and effective collision strengths available for this ion. We believe that the data calculated in this work will be useful in solar, astrophysical and laser applications.     

Intermediate energy (e, 2e) processes on C60: A distorted wave Born approximation study

Triple differential cross-sections (TDCS) for ( e ,2 e ) processes on C₆₀ have been calculated in the plane wave Born and distorted wave Born approximations using a jellium shell model to describe the target valence states. The peculiarities of these TDCS are demonstrated by comparison with results for atomic hydrogen. Ionisation into a resonant state leads to dramatic modifications of the TDCS. This effect could also be observed in a surface ( e ,2 e ) experiment in specular geometry using a thin film of physisorbed C₆₀. Received 14 April 2000 and Received in final form 27 July 2000     

Ionization of sodium by the impact of alpha particle

A one channel distorted wave approximation has been used to calculate the ionization cross section for the 3s electron of Na atom by alpha particle impact. For a consistency check we have also run the standard CDW-EIS code of McSherry et al. [Comput. Phys. Commun. 155, 144 (2003)] and found reasonable agreement in the high energy region among the present results, the CDW-EIS results and the classical trajectory Monte Carlo (CTMC) calculations. It is also found that the present results tend to agree qualitatively with the low energy measurement of Knoop et al. [J. Phys. B 38, 1987 (2005)] at as low as 10 keV amu^-1, although the present theoretical approach is expected to be suitable in the high energy area. This qualitative agreement in the low energy region is attributed to the partially correlated ground state wave function used in the present calculation.