Electron-impact ionization cross sections for highly ionized hydrogen- and lithium-like atoms

Abstract

Electron-impact ionization cross sections for highly ionized atoms in the hydrogen and lithium isoelectronic sequences have been computed in several variants of the Coulomb-Born and distorted-wave approximations. Electron exchange in the transition matrix element and Coulomb distortion of the partial waves were found to be important. The results are compared to recent crossed-beam experimental data and to other theoretical predictions.