Scattering of Heavy Charged Particles on Hydrogen Atoms

 Low-energy scattering of heavy positively charged particles on hydrogen atoms (H) is investigated by solving Faddeev equations in configuration space. A resonant value of the pH scattering length, a = 750 ± 5 a.u., in the pp antisymmetric state was found. This large value indicates the existence of a first excited state with a binding energy B = 1.14 × 10⁻⁹ a.u. below the H ground state. Resonances for non-zero angular-momenta states are predicted. Received November 4, 2001; accepted for publication November 12, 2001