Electron capture and ionisation in He$$^{2+}$$ collisions with H$$_2$$

Abstract

Abstract State-selective non-dissociative electron capture and ionisation cross sections are calculated for collisions between bare helium-ions and molecular hydrogen. The two-centre wave-packet convergent close-coupling approach is used and the hydrogen molecule is represented as an effective one-electron target. For the electron-capture cross section, our results are in good agreement with experimental measurements at energies above 100 keV/u. However, near the peak of the cross section, they are larger than the experimental data. The total ionisation cross section is also in good agreement with experiment, particularly at low and high energies. The results for the state-selective electron-capture cross section are generally in good agreement with the limited experimental measurements. However, we find that our results appear to consistently overestimate the experimental data for electron capture into the s states at intermediate energies. The present results are the first calculations capable of producing electron capture and ionisation cross sections over a wide incident energy range within a single unified theoretical framework. Graphical Abstract