Collision spectroscopy with aligned and oriented atoms. VI. A complete density matrix determination for the H⁺+Na(3p) to H(n=2)+Na⁺process

Abstract

For pt.V see ibid., vol.24, no.8, p.L213-8 (1991). The complete density matrix describing the charge transfer process H++Na(3s or 3p) to H(n=2)+Na+ has been measured for scattering angles theta (0.2' and an H+ energy of 1 keV. At this energy the collision velocity is about half the mean velocity of the Na(3p) valence electron. Pronounced right-left scattering asymmetries has been observed both for initially oriented as well as for aligned Na(3p) states. Very good agreement is found with recent elaborate theoretical results of Dubois et al. (1993). Measurements at 0.75 keV and 2 keV show similar trends. The findings are discussed in terms of simple models such as velocity matching and propensity rules for orientation.