The mass dependence of cross sections for vibrational excitation of diatomic molecules by electron impact

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Bulletin of the American Physical Society

OSTI ID:127923

Atems, D E; Wadehra, J M

A new scaling law is presented for resonant vibrational excitation (VE) by electron impact in diatomic molecules. The authors show that the mass dependence of the resonant cross section for VE in the impulse limit is of the form M{sup {vert_bar}v{sub f}{minus}v{sub i}{vert_bar}{sup 1/2}}, where M is the reduced nuclear mass and v{sub i} and v{sub f} refer to the initial and final vibrational levels, and {vert_bar}v{sub f}-v{sub i}{vert_bar}{ne} 1. This result was obtained by an analytic treatment of the local complex differential equation for the wave function describing the motion of the nuclei in the resonant anion state. The potential curves for both the neutral molecule and the anion were approximated as Morse oscillators, and for the decay width of the anion an exponential form was chosen. This scaling law is also well-satisfied by numerical cross sections for VE in molecular hydrogen and its isotopes, obtained using exact potentials.

• OSTI ID: 127923
• Report Number(s): CONF-920376--
• Journal Information: Bulletin of the American Physical Society, Journal Name: Bulletin of the American Physical Society Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 37; ISSN 0003-0503; ISSN BAPSA6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
COULOMB EXCITATION
ELECTRON-MOLECULE COLLISIONS
MASS
MOLECULES
RESONANCE
VIBRATIONAL STATES