Dynamic plasma screening effects on electron–ion collisional ionizations in a generalized Lorentzian distribution plasma

Abstract

Dynamic plasma screening effects on semiclassical ionization probabilities for electron-impact ionization of hydrogenic ions are investigated in a generalized Lorenzian (kappa) distribution plasma. The projectile–target interaction Hamiltonian is obtained by introduction of the longitudinal plasma dielectric function. A semiclassical straight-line trajectory method is applied to the path of the projectile electron and the bound electron is treated quantum mechanically. The semiclassical ionization probability is obtained as a function of the impact parameter, projectile energy, spectral index, and Debye length. It is found that the non-Maxwellian effect is quite small for low plasma temperatures. However, the non-Maxwellian effect is significant for high plasma temperatures. It is also found that the dynamic plasma screening effect is increased with decreasing the spectral index.