Charge transfer in collision of N2+and He

Abstract

Abstract Charge transfer cross-sections in the collision of a doubly-charged nitrogen ion and a helium atom are evaluated with a close-coupling formalism. The charge transfer produces N+(3P), N+(1D) and He+ ions via the 2Σ+ and 2π molecular states of NHe2+. We describe a method for obtaining a particular diabatic representation from a set of adiabatic dipole moments. Comparison with Landau-Zener model calculations is made and the importance of inner couplings for the production of charge transfer states is demonstrated. Collisional rate coefficients are also obtained. At 104 K, the rate coefficient for charge transfer into the ground N+(3P) state is about 1·3 × 10−10 cm3 s−1 and for charge transfer into the metastable N+(1D) state 1·8 × 10−11 em3 s−1.