Chemi-ionization and spin exchange upon collisions of metastable helium atoms with potassium atoms in the ground state

Abstract

The spin exchange and chemi-ionization cross sections have been calculated for the metastable helium atom-potassium atom system in the ground state. The data on the spin exchange cross section in the system He(23S1)-K(42S1/2) have been obtained for the first time. The cross sections were calculated for the collision energies ranging from 2 × 10−4 to 60 × 10−4 au The chemi-ionization cross sections obtained have been compared with the data in the literature.