Cascading interatomic Coulombic electron capture induced by a single incident electron in two- and three-center atomic systems
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: In the process of interatomic Coulombic electron capture, an incident free electron is captured at an atomic center A and the transition energy is transferred radiationlessly over a rather large distance to a neighboring atom B of different species, upon which the latter is ionized. We consider two-step cascade processes where the electron emitted from atom B is subsequently captured as well (either at center A or yet another atomic center C ), leading to the emission of a second electron from one of the centers. We derive formulas for the cross section of this cascading interatomic Coulombic electron capture, which can reach the order of kilobarn for suitable parameters and exhibits a very strong dependence on the interatomic distances. The relevance of this process, which leads to a substantial rearrangement of the electronic configuration, is discussed in various two- and three-center atomic systems.
Source: Physical Review A
Authors: L. M. Ellerbrock, A. B. Voitkiv, C. Müller
Institution: Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
Language: English
Topic: Atomic and Molecular Physics
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,675
OpenAlex ID: W4411091600