Model of Charge Transfer Collisions Between $C_{60}$ and Slow Ions

TL;DR

This paper presents a semi-classical model for charge transfer collisions between $C_{60}$ fullerenes and slow ions, successfully explaining experimental cross sections and resonant phenomena using realistic electron wave functions and semi-empirical potentials.

Contribution

It introduces a new semi-classical approach combining semi-empirical potentials and Landau-Zener theory to model charge transfer in $C_{60}$ collisions, aligning well with experimental data.

Findings

Reproduces experimental cross sections with high accuracy.

Identifies Breit-Wigner like peaks in collision data.

Validates wave functions against small angle scattering experiments.

Abstract

A semi-classical model describing the charge transfer collisions of $C_{60}$ fullerene with different slow ions has been developed to explain available experimental data. This data reveals multiple Breit-Wigner like peaks in the cross sections, with subsequent peaks of reactive cross sections decreasing in magnitude. Calculations of the charge transfer probabilities and cross sections for quasi-resonant and reactive collisions have been performed using semi-empirical potentials of interaction between fullerenes and ion projectiles. All computations have been carried out with realistic wave functions for $C_{60}$'s valence electrons derived from the simplified jellium model. The quality of these electron wave functions have been successfully verified by comparing theoretical calculations and experimental data on the small angle cross sections of resonant $C_{60}+ C_{60}^+$ collisions. Using the semi-empirical potentials to describe resonant scattering phenomena in $C_{60}$ collisions with ions and Landau-Zener charge transfer theory, we calculated theoretical cross sections for various $C_{60}$ charge transfer and fragmentation reactions which agree with experiments.