Projectile electron loss with a molecular hydrogen target

Abstract
We examine the effect of a molecular hydrogen target, as contrasted with an atomic target, on one-electron-projectile electron loss within the framework of the plane-wave Born approximation. Two different approaches are explored: (1) the use of an approximate molecular wave function due to Weinbaum, and (2) the use of a modified form factor for the two atoms in the H2 molecule. The resulting cross-section expressions are compared with experimental cross sections for electron loss by various one-electron projectiles. We find that for a projectile atomic number larger than 5, molecular effects are negligible in total cross sections and then the electron-loss cross section per molecule is just equal to twice the total cross section per atom.

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