An influence of the spectator-nuclear motion on nonresonant formation of the muonic hydrogen molecules

TL;DR

This paper presents a model accounting for nuclear motion in muonic hydrogen collisions, revealing significant effects on formation rates and isotopic differences crucial for low-energy muon experiments.

Contribution

A new model incorporating nuclear motion effects in muonic molecule formation, highlighting their impact on formation rates and isotopic variations.

Findings

Nuclear motion causes significant smearing of formation rates at low energies.

Isotopic effects are notable in nonresonant ddμ formation.

Model results are relevant for low-energy muon physics experiments.

Abstract

A model for description of nonresonant formation of the muonic molecules in collisions of the muonic hydrogen atoms with the hydrogenic molecules has been developed with taking into account the internal motion of all nuclei. It has been shown that such a motion leads to a significant smearing of the calculated energy-dependent formation rates at low collision energies. In particular, this effect is strong in the $dd\mu$ and $dt\mu$ formation. An appreciable isotopic effect in the case of nonresonant $dd\mu$ formation in $d\mu$ collisions with the molecules D$_2$ and HD has been found. All these effects are of importance for many experimental researches in low-energy muon physics.