Formation of exotic atoms by direct capture and via transfer from hydrogen

Abstract

Exotic atoms like muonic atoms can be formed either by direct capture, often called Coulomb capture, or by muon transfer from a muonic hydrogen atom. The first estimates for the formation predicted, for both mechanisms, probabilities approximately proportional to the charge numberZ. The experiments did not confirm such a simpleZ-dependence. In direct capture, it turned out that the chemical bond played a decisive role, at least for lighter elements. In the formation via transfer, surprising data were obtained not only for heteroatomic molecules but also for noble gases. Whereas for direct capture, a model is able to reproduce quite satisfactorily a great number of measured capture ratios, including those in hydrogen compounds, the formation via transfer seems to put completely different and more fundamental questions.