Polarization studies of Lyman-α radiation emitted in atom-H2-molecule collisions

A polarization study of Lyman-α radiation emitted in collisions of H⁺, H, He⁺, and He projectiles with H₂ molecules has been performed at projectile energies ranging from 1–25 keV. In H⁺?H₂ and H?H₂ collisions, the measured linear polarization is negative at low incident velocities, indicating a preferred alignment of the excited electron charge cloud perpendicular to the incident projectile direction. This is taken as significance for a rotational coupling which in these two collision systems predominantly populates the H(2p _±1) substates. In He⁺?H₂ and He?H₂ collisions, the measured linear polarization is about zero and independent of the projectile energy. In these more asymmetric systems,a′?a′ and a′?a″ couplings are now of comparable magnitude.