Interatomic coulombic electron capture in slow atomic collisions

Abstract

In the process of radiative recombination (RR)/attachment the capture of a free electron by an atomic species A proceeds via photoemission. In the so called interatomic coulombic electron capture, a capture of a free electron by A proceeds via its interaction with a neighboring species B that results in electron emission from the latter. This process can outperform RR/attachment when A and B form a (weakly) bound system. Here we consider this process in slow collisions between A and B and show that also in this dynamical situation it can successfully compete with RR/attachment if the density of species B is sufficiently large.