Eur. Phys. J. D 28, 229-234 (2004)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2003-00303-6

Electron capture processes in strongly coupled semiclassical plasmas

Department of Physics, Hanyang University, Ansan, Kyunggi-Do 425-791, South Korea and Department of Physics, 0319, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093-0319, USA

Corresponding authors: ^a yjung@bohr.hanyang.ac.kr ydjung@physics.ucsd.edu

Received: 27 January 2003
Revised: 27 June 2003
Published online: 2 December 2003

Abstract

The electron captures by projectile ions from hydrogenic ions are investigated in strongly coupled semiclassical plasmas. The electron capture radius by the projectile ion is obtained by the effective screened pseudopotential model taking into account both the plasma screening and quantum effects. The semiclassical version of the Bohr-Lindhard method is applied to obtain the electron capture probability. The impact-parameter trajectory analysis is applied to the motion of the projectile ion in order to visualize the electron capture radius and capture probability as functions of the impact parameter, thermal de Broglie wavelength and Debye length. The results show that the quantum and plasma screening effects significantly reduce the electron capture probability and the capture radius. It is found that the electron capture position is shifted to the core of the projectile ion with increasing the thermal de Broglie wavelength. It is also found that the quantum effects on the electron capture probability are more significant than the collective screening effects on the electron capture probability. The electron capture probability is found to be significantly increased with an increase of the charge.