Comparison of single-electron removal processes in collisions of electrons, positrons, protons, and antiprotons with hydrogen and helium.

Abstract

We present and compare total cross sections for single-electron removal in collisions of electrons, positrons, protons, and antiprotons with atomic hydrogen and helium. These cross sections have been calculated using the classical trajectory Monte Carlo technique in the velocity range of 0.5--7.0 a.u. (6.25--1224 keV/u). The cross sections are compared at equal collision velocities and exhibit differences arising from variations in mass and sign of charge of the projectile. At low and intermediate velocities these differences are large in both the ionization and charge transfer channels. At high velocities the single-ionization cross section for each of these singly charged particles becomes equal. However, the differences in the single-charge-transfer cross sections for positron and proton impact persist to very large velocities. We extend our previous work [Phys. Rev. A 38, 1866 (1988)] to explain these mass and sign of the charge effects in single-electron removal collisions.