Role of electron saddle swaps in the photon spectra following Li3+ charge- exchange collisions with H*(n=2), Na(3s), Na*(3p), and Li(2s) targets

The role of electron saddle swaps in collisions of bare Li with metastable hydrogen and alkali-metal atoms is investigated by means of the classical trajectory Monte Carlo method. In particular, we show that oscillations as a function of collision energy in the photon spectra resulting from charge exchange are directly related to the number of potential-saddle crossings that a receding electron can achieve during a given reaction. The range of impact energies spanned is 0.01-50 keV/amu, an area of interest for diagnostic purposes in tokamak nuclear fusion power reactors.