Electron collision studies on the CH$_2^+$ molecular ion

TL;DR

This study uses advanced computational methods to calculate electron collision cross sections with the CH$_2^+$ ion, providing insights into excitation, dissociation, and resonance phenomena relevant to molecular physics.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed quantum mechanical analysis of electron collisions with CH$_2^+$ using the UK R-matrix codes, focusing on excitation, dissociation, and resonance states.

Findings

Calculated electron impact excitation cross sections.

Identified Feshbach resonances in the e-CH$_2^+$ system.

Provided bound state data for CH$_2$ molecule.

Abstract

Calculations are performed for electron collision with the methylene molecular ion CH$_2^+$ in its bent equilibrium geometry, with the goal to obtain cross sections for electron impact excitation and dissociation. The polyatomic version of the UK molecular R-matrix codes was used to perform an initial configuration-interaction calculation on the doublet and quartet states of the CH$_2^+$ ion. Subsequently, scattering calculations are performed to obtain electron impact electronic excitation and dissociation cross sections and, additionally, the bound states of the CH$_2$ molecule and Feshbach resonances in the $e$-CH$_2^+$ system.