On the use of analytic ansatz three-body wave functions in the study of (e,2e) and related processes

Citation
Sp. Lucey et al., On the use of analytic ansatz three-body wave functions in the study of (e,2e) and related processes, P ROY SOC A, 455(1981), 1999, pp. 349-383
Citations number
51
Categorie Soggetti
Multidisciplinary
Journal title
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON SERIES A-MATHEMATICAL PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES
ISSN journal
13645021 → ACNP
Volume
455
Issue
1981
Year of publication
1999
Pages
349 - 383
Database
ISI
SICI code
1364-5021(19990108)455:1981<349:OTUOAA>2.0.ZU;2-K
Abstract
We present a critical analysis of the analytic ansatz wave functions that h ave been proposed for use in the calculation of triple-differential cross-s ections for the electron-impact ionization of atoms. We will first discuss, in detail, the mathematical background to these approximations, and we wil l give, for the first time, cross-sections for the electron-impact ionizati on of hydrogen using the most elaborate of these. We will show that they gi ve generally unsatisfactory agreement with experiment. We will argue that t his failure comes from an inability to model the crucial region where the t hree particles are close together. The analysis presented should be of valu e not only in the case of electron-impact ionization but also for a wide ra nge of Coulombic three-body problems in atomic physics.