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POLARIZED PHOTON CORRELATION MEASUREMENTS IN THE INVESTIGATION OF HELIUM ION - HYDROGEN AND HELIUM ION - DEUTERIUM COLLISIONS

LUIGI SALVATORE FORNARI, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Abstract

When energetic ions, with velocities comparable to electronic velocities, collide with molecules, the electrons can undergo excitation, ionization, or transfer from one species to another. The dynamics of these electronic rearrangements in such collisions are unsolved problems of physics. This thesis investigates the process of electronic excitation accompanied by charge transfer in H('+) - H(,2) and He('+) - D(,2) collisions. This is done using polarized photon-scattered particle coincidence techniques. The two targets, H(,2) and D(,2), were chosen because they are relatively simple systems. Since the structures of H(,2) and D(,2) are not identical, differences in measured electronic excitation between the two types of targets should be a manifestation of either an isotopic mass difference, or differences in their molecular structures. The experimental results of this thesis do indeed find differences in the excitation probabilities for H(,2) and D(,2) targets. To date, no theoretical model to explain these differences, has been developed, however new experiments have been suggested which should shed light on this important question.

Subject Area

Molecules

Recommended Citation

FORNARI, LUIGI SALVATORE, "POLARIZED PHOTON CORRELATION MEASUREMENTS IN THE INVESTIGATION OF HELIUM ION - HYDROGEN AND HELIUM ION - DEUTERIUM COLLISIONS" (1981). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8122593.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8122593

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