Quantum-Mechanical Transition Probabilities for Atom–Atomic-Oscillator Collisions with Morse Potential Interaction

Abstract

Exact quantum-mechanical transition probabilities for the collision of an atom with an atomic oscillator for the case in which the interaction has the form of a Morse potential are obtained by numerical integration of the relevant close-coupled scattering equations. These transition probabilities are compared with approximate ones calculated from distorted-wave theory over a range of parameters which have been of interest in examining the collision of helium atoms with a tungsten surface. Some information is obtained concerning the range of validity of the first-order theory, and certain suggestions that have appeared in the literature for correcting the distorted-wave results are found to be inadequate.