Arkadiy S. Baltenkov

Photoionization of 3d electrons of Xe, Cs and Ba endohedral atoms: comparative analyses

We demonstrate rather interesting manifestations of co-existence of resonance features in characteristics of the photoionization of 3d-electrons in Xe, Cs and Ba endohedral atoms. It is shown that for all of the considered atoms the reflection by the fullerene shell of photoelectrons produced by the 3d subshell photoionization affects greatly partial photoionization cross-sections of 3d5/2 and 3d3/2 levels and respective angular anisotropy parameters, both dipole and non-dipole adding to all of them additional maximums and minimums. The results obtained demonstrate distinctive differences between the three atoms. The calculations are performed treating the 3/2 and 5/2 electrons as electrons of different kinds with their spins “up” and “down”. The effect of the C60 shell is accounted for in the frame of the “orange” skin potential model. It is essential that in the considered photon frequency region the presented resonance features are not affected by the C60polarization.

Magnetic-dipole photo-recombination in ultracold hydrogen plasma

The cross section for magnetic-dipole photodisintegration of the negative hydrogen ion has been calculated within the zero-range-potential approximation. The magnetic-dipole cross section for photodetachment within the very narrow range of energy near the process threshold is predicted to dominate over the electric-dipole one. It is shown that in ultracold hydrogen plasma at temperatures below T = 3.29 × 10−4 K the magnetic-dipole photo-recombination becomes an important mechanism of electron capture by hydrogen atoms.

Non-physical consequences of the muffin-tin-type intra-molecular potential

We demonstrate, using a simple model, that, in the frame of muffin-tin-like potential, non-physical peculiarities appear in molecular photoionization cross-sections that are a consequence of “jumps” in the potential and its first derivative at some radius. The magnitude of non-physical effects is of the same order as the physical oscillations in the cross-section of a diatomicmolecule. The role of the size of these “jumps” is illustrated by choosing three values for it. The results obtained are connected to the previously studied effect of non-analytic behavior as a function of r, the potential V(r) acting upon a particle on its photoionization cross-section. In reality, such potential has to be analytic in magnitude and have a first derivative function in r. The introduction of non-analytic features in model V(r) leads to non-physical features — oscillations, additional maxima, and so forth — in the corresponding cross-section.

Huygens–Fresnel picture for electron-molecule elastic scattering

AbstractnThe elastic scattering cross sections for a slow electron by C2 and H2 molecules have been calculated within the framework of the non-overlapping atomic potential model. For the amplitudes of the multiple electron scattering by a target the wave function of the molecular continuum is represented as a combination of a plane wave and two spherical waves generated by the centers of atomic spheres. This wave function obeys the Huygens–Fresnel principle according to which the electron wave scattering by a system of two centers is accompanied by generation of two spherical waves; their interaction creates a diffraction pattern far from the target. Each of the Huygens waves, in turn, is a superposition of the partial spherical waves with different orbital angular momenta l and their projections m. The amplitudes of these partial waves are defined by the corresponding phases of electron elastic scattering by an isolated atomic potential. In numerical calculations the s- and p-phase shifts are taken into account. So the number of interfering electron waves is equal to eight: two of which are the s-type waves and the remaining six waves are of the p-type with different m values. The calculation of the scattering amplitudes in closed form (rather than in the form of S-matrix expansion) is reduced to solving a system of eight inhomogeneous algebraic equations. The differential and total cross sections of electron scattering by fixed-in-space molecules and randomly oriented ones have been calculated as well. We conclude by discussing the special features of the S-matrix method for the case of arbitrary non-spherical potentials.nGraphical abstract

Nondipole parameters of TDCS for electron impact ionization and drag current

A comprehensive study is undertaken of angular distributions of electron knock-out from atomic targets by fast electrons with a small transfer of momentum. The general expressions for the parameters of the triple differential cross-section of impact ionization in the optical limit are derived. The calculated parameters are compared with those of the angular distribution of electrons ejected from an atom in the process of photoionization. In these processes, when the multipole transitions are involved, the one-to-one correspondence between the photoionization and impact ionization parameters disappears. The nondipole transitions lead to the backward/forward asymmetry of the angular distribution of ejected electrons that is absent in the dipole approximation for ionization by both fast electrons and photons. Using the He atom as an example, the character of the asymmetry for these two processes is qualitatively different and the backward/forward asymmetry results in macroscopic directed motion of secondary electrons accompanying the passing of a fast electron beam through gas or plasma. The general formulas for this drag current are derived and applied to gaseous He.