Classical structures arising in the autoionization of He

Abstract

In this work, a classical mechanics study of the autoionization process induced by ion impact is performed. The electron distribution in momentum space is obtained and compared with the results of the continuum distorted wave quantum theory. Typical structures arising in quantum and classical treatments are identified and compared. Oscillatory profiles for the autoionization spectrum are obtained within the present classical picture, in contrast with existing models which attach them to a purely quantum behavior.