Multi-Electron Transfer of Ar+ Colliding with Ne Atoms Based on a Time-Dependent Density-Functional TheorySupported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2017YFA0402300), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11774344, 11704039, 11774030, and 11704037).

Abstract

The multi-electron capture and loss cross-sections of Ar+–Ne collisions are calculated at absolute energies in the few-keV/a.u. regime. The calculations are performed using a novel inverse collision framework, in the context of a time-dependent density functional theory, combined with molecular dynamics. The extraction of the capture and loss probabilities is based on the particle-number projection technique, originating from nuclear physics, but validly extended to represent many-electron systems. Good agreement between experimental and theoretical data is found, which clearly reveals the non-negligible post-collision decay of the projectile’s electrons, providing further evidence for the applicability of the approach to complex many-electron collision systems.