Ejected-electron spectrum in low-energy proton-hydrogen collisions

Abstract

The behavior of the ejected electron spectra resulting from low-energy ion-atom collisions relevant to momentum imaging experiments is explored and the origin of the oscillatory structures these spectra display as a function of collision energy is discussed. This is aided by consideration of the time-dependent, electronic Sch\odinger equation that is solved at a fixed impact parameter for 1--25 keV proton impact of atomic hydrogen utilizing the lattice, Fourier collocation technique and split-operator time propagation. At a large internuclear separation after the collision the bound states of the target and projectile are projected out for $nl4$ and the resulting continuum wave function is examined. Techniques, such as multigridding, are investigated to extend the propagation of the wave function to significantly larger final distances.