Influence of Debye plasma on the cross section and linear polarization of x-ray radiation following inner-shell electron-impact excitation of highly charged Be-like Sc17+ ions

Abstract

Detailed calculations using a fully relativistic distorted-wave method incorporating the Debye–Hückel potential are carried out for the electron-impact excitation cross sections from the ground state 1s22s2 (J = 0) to the individual magnetic sublevels of 1s2s22p and states of highly charged Be-like ions in the presence of a plasma environment. The effects of plasma screening on the cross section and linear polarization of the corresponding x-ray emission are investigated. For the line, it is found that the plasma screening has a pronounced effect and causes the cross section to decrease over the whole energy range considered. This dramatic influence also leads to a remarkable decrease in the linear polarization of subsequent x-ray radiation. However, for the line, the plasma screening effect on the cross sections is relatively larger than for the excitations, while its influence on the linear polarization of the radiation is very small.