A statistical description of scattering at the quantum level.

Quantum physics is undoubtedly the most successful theory of the microscopic world, yet the complexities which arise in applying it even to simple atomic and molecular systems render the description of basic collision probabilities a formidable task. For this reason, approximations are often employed, the validity of which may be restricted to given energy regimes and/or targets and/or projectiles. Now we have found that the lognormal function, widely used for the probability distribution of macroscopic stochastic events (as diverse as periods of incubation of and recovery from diseases, size of grains, abundance of species, fluctuations in economic quantities, etc.) may also be employed to describe the energy dependence of inelastic collisions at the quantum level (including ionization, electron capture and excitation by electrons, positrons, protons, antiprotons, etc.), by allowing for the relevant threshold energy. A physical interpretation is discussed in this article by analogy with the heat capacity of few-level systems in solid state physics. We find the generality of the analysis to extend also to nuclear reactions. As well as aiding the description of collision probabilities for quantum systems, this finding is expected to impact also on the fundamental understanding of the interface between the classical and quantum domains.

Positronium Production and Scattering below Its Breakup Threshold.

Recent findings on the similarity between electron and positronium scattering at the same velocity [Brawley et al., Science 330, 789 (2010)] have guided us towards the realization of a detectable flux of positronium atoms at beam energies five times lower than previously obtained, enabling total cross sections to be measured in the energy range ∼(1-7) eV for the first time. In collision with Ar and Xe, the total cross sections of positronium are found to be smallest at the lowest energy probed, approaching those of the Ramsauer-Townsend minima for electron projectiles. Additional structure has been observed in the case of positronium scattering at incident energies around 5 eV.

Absolute Differential Positronium-Formation Cross Sections.

The first absolute experimental determinations of the differential cross sections for the formation of ground-state positronium are presented for He, Ar, H2, and CO2 near 0°. Results are compared with available theories. The ratio of the differential and integrated cross sections for the targets exposes the higher propensity for forward emission of positronium formed from He and H2.

Electron-like scattering of positronium.

Positronium (Ps), a hydrogen-like atom composed of an electron and its antimatter partner, the positron, is formed in considerable quantities whenever positrons interact with matter. It has unexpectedly been found to scatter from a wide variety of atoms and molecules in a way very similar to that of a bare electron moving at the same velocity, despite Ps being neutral and twice the mass.

Resonant scattering of positronium in collision with CO2.

The total cross sections of positronium (Ps) scattering from a carbon-dioxide molecule have been measured over the range (7-400) eV incident-Ps energy. For the first time in Ps collisions, a resonantlike structure is observed. For the present target, it occurs around 9.5 eV followed by a broader peak at ∼60 eV. Following Brawley et al. [Science 330, 789 (2010)] who have observed similarities between the total cross sections of positronium and of electrons incident upon a given target at the same velocity, a corresponding comparison is made for CO2. The comparison suggests that the former peak corresponds to the well-known 2Π(u) shape resonance which occurs for electrons at an incident velocity of 0.5 a.u. Further features are discussed and theoretical input is sought.