Scaling laws for single and double electron capture inAq++Hecollisions(q>~ZA−2)at low impact velocities

Abstract

We present empirical scaling laws, as a function of the projectile charge state, for single and double electron capture in slow collisions between highly charged ions and He atoms at impact velocities of 0.1 and 0.5 a.u. The fitting parameters are shown to be suitable for predicting the populated states in single and double electron capture. The scaling law for single capture is found to be nearly independent of the projectile velocity in the range 0.1--0.5 a.u. The same fitting procedure is followed for double electron capture at the velocity of 0.5 a.u. since independent monoelectronic transitions, due to electron-nucleus interactions, are dominant. At this velocity, the scaling law for the projectile charge dependence of double electron capture cross sections is found to be similar to that for single electron capture. At the lower velocity of 0.1 a.u., where dielectronic processes caused by the electron-electron interaction gain importance, the charge dependence of double capture cross sections is strongly modified.