Excitation of hydrogen atoms in collisions with helium atoms: the role of electron–electron interaction

Abstract

Cross sections for producing H(nl) excited state atoms in H(1s) + He(1s2) collisions are calculated using the CTMC method, at impact energies ranging from 20 eV to 100 keV. The role of the electron correlation is studied. In the first step, the interactions between each pair of the three electrons are neglected. This leads to disagreement of the calculated total cross section for producing H(2l) atoms with previous experimental and theoretical results. In a second step, the electron–electron interaction is taken into account in a rigorous way, that is, in the form of the pure Coulomb potential. To make sure that the He target is stable before the collision, phenomenological potentials for the electron–helium-nucleus interactions that simulate the Heisenberg principle are included in addition to the Coulomb potential. The excitation cross section calculated in the frame of this model is in remarkable agreement with previous data in the range between 200 eV and 5 keV. At other energies, discrepancies are revealed, but only by a factor of less than 2 at high energies. The present results show the decisive role of the electron–electron interaction during collisions. In addition, they demonstrate the ability of classical mechanics to take into account the effects of the electron correlation.