Role of electron saddle swaps in the photon spectra following Li 3 + charge-exchange collisions with H ∗ ( n = 2), Na(3 s ), Na ∗ (3 p ), and Li(2 s ) targets

Abstract

The role of electron saddle swaps in collisions of bare Li with metastable hydrogen and alkali-metal atoms is investigated by means of the classical trajectory Monte Carlo method. In particular, we show that oscillations as a function of collision energy in the photon spectra resulting from charge exchange are directly related to the number of potential-saddle crossings that a receding electron can achieve during a given reaction. The range of impact energies spanned is 0.01–50 keV/amu, an area of interest for diagnostic purposes in tokamak nuclear fusion power reactors.