Document Type
Article
Department/Program
Physics
Journal Title
Physical Review A
Pub Date
7-1978
Publisher
American Physical Society
Volume
18
Issue
1
First Page
117
Abstract
The theory of near-adiabatic collisions is formulated in a fully quantum-mechanical form, correctly taking into account the role of electron translation factors (ETF's). A general form for the ETF, using switching functions, is given for systems which are electrically either asymmetric or symmetric (with or without mass asymmetry). The main result is that the close-coupled scattering equations obtained in the perturbed-stationary-states theory must be replaced by equations of identical form, but having modified nonadiabatic coupling matrices. In general, the corrections involved are substantial; their nature, and effect on coupling matrices, is discussed, and conditions when they are likely to be important are described. The remaining problem of determining the switching function is discussed briefly. The correct form for ETF's, their quantum-mechanical formulation, and the resulting correct form for the coupled equations, have not been given previously.
Recommended Citation
Thorson, W. R. and Delos, John B., Theory of Near-Adiabatic Collisions. I. Electron-Translation-Factor Method (1978). Physical Review A, 18(1), 117-134.
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.18.117
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.18.117