A New Method for Charge Transfer Calculations for Fast Ion-Atom Collisions

Conventional coupled state approaches to ion-atom collisions are unitary, i. e. (Pψ
_c
,Pψ
_c
) = 1. However in a target centered basis the true wavefunctionψ, should have the property that (Pψ, Pψ)⩽ 1 for finite times, as ionization channels are open and the electron should have some probability of leaving the target region. I present work performed by our group at Texas A&M and Oak Ridge National Laboratory on a new integral equation which has this feature correctly incorperated. This new treatment is especially warranted in charge transfer processes between ions of widely different charge. The results of the method are compared to experiment. The effects of antisymmetry are discussed.