Theoretical analysis of the electronic structure and electron collision ionization process in a strongly coupled semi-classical plasma environment

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In this work, we propose a distorted wave method in the relativistic framework to analyze the electron collision ionization process under the influence of strongly coupled semi-classical plasmas. A pseudopotential is used to represent the screened interactions between the core and outer electron, together with solving the Dirac equation to take care of the relativistic effects. This potential characterizes the plasma in terms of the Debye screening length and the de Broglie wavelength, which takes into account both the quantum mechanical effects of diffraction (short distance) and the collective effects (long distance). With this method, the traditional central-field potential is modified, the bound- and continuum-electron wavefunctions and the collision matrix elements are estimated under a relativistic Dirac–Coulomb framework. The strongly coupled semi-classical plasma effects on the energies, transition rates, and the electron impact ionization cross sections are investigated in detail, using the hydrogen atom as an example. Our results agree well with other available theoretical data. The reported results and the computational scheme are not only of interest to the communities such as atomic and plasma physics, but also have implications for many other areas, including astrophysical objects, inertial confinement fusion plasmas, etc.