Reactive collisions between electrons and BeH⁺ above dissociation threshold

Area of Science:

• Atomic and Molecular Physics
• Plasma Physics
• Quantum Chemistry

Background:

• Previous multichannel quantum defect theory studies focused on BeH+ recombination and vibrational transitions.
• Understanding BeH+ ion kinetics is crucial for modeling edge fusion plasmas.

Purpose of the Study:

• Extend BeH+ dissociative recombination and excitation calculations to higher collision energies.
• Incorporate vibrational continua and dissociative excitation.
• Enhance accuracy by including a larger set of dissociative states.

Main Methods:

• Multichannel quantum defect theory (MQDT) framework.
• Inclusion of vibrational continua for BeH+.
• Generation of excited dissociative states using scaling laws.
• Cross-section calculations for collision energies up to 12 eV.

Main Results:

• Calculated cross sections for BeH+ dissociative recombination and excitation above the dissociation threshold.
• Incorporation of vibrational continua and a significantly larger number of dissociative states (2Π, 2Σ+, 2Δ).
• Results validated for modeling BeH+ kinetics in fusion plasma edge environments.

Conclusions:

• The extended theoretical framework provides accurate cross sections for BeH+ processes.
• The findings are directly applicable to kinetic modeling of edge fusion plasmas.
• This work advances the understanding of molecular ion behavior in high-energy environments.