USE OF THE FACTORIZED FORM FOR THE COLLISION STRENGTH IN EXPLORATION OF THE EFFECT OF THE GENERALIZED BREIT INTERACTION

Expressions are given for the convenient factorized form [Bar-Shalom, Klapisch, and Oreg, Phys. Rev. A 38, 1773 (1988)] for the collision st rength with inclusion of the generalized Breit interaction. This is us ed to explore further the importance of the inclusion of the generaliz ed Breit interaction in calculating electron-impact excitation cross s ections or collision strengths, by considering the inner-shell excitat ion of Be-like uranium and the n = 2 to n = 3 transitions in neonlike xenon and uranium.