Charge transfer between Si 3+ and helium at thermal and low energies

Abstract

Cross sections and rate coefficients for selective electron capture and excitation in Si 3+–He collisions in the thermal-eV energy range are calculated using a quantum mechanical method. It is confirmed that electron capture to the ground state of Si 2+ is the dominant charge transfer mechanism and that the inverse process in which He + captures an electron in a collision with ground state Si 2+ can occur easily.