ELECTRON CAPTURE CROSS SECTIONS IN COLLISIONS OF 3He2+ IONS WITH CO MOLECULE

Abstract

The single electron capture process in collisions of ³He²⁺ ions with CO molecule have been studied theoretically using semiclassical collision methods in which the adiabatic potentials and nonadiabatic couplings were obtained using the multireference single- and double-excitation configuration-interaction (MRDCI) approach. The partial and total single electron capture cross sections have been obtained for energies between 0.6 to 6 keV. The calculated cross sections depend very sensitively on the molecular configuration, thus revealing a strong steric effect. The calculated single electron capture cross sections are in good agreement with the experimental measurements of Kusakabe et al. [Phys. Rev. A 73, 022706 (2006)] and ÄŒadež et al. [J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 35, 2515 (2002)]. The present study provides a theoretical basis for the experimental measurements by interpreting the detailed collision dynamics.