Positronium Quenching with Nitric Oxide Targets: A Theoretical Study of Spin Coupling
Abstract
A single elastic collision between an ortho positronium beam and a nitric oxide target is considered. The spin coupling between ortho positronium and the doublet ground state of nitric oxide leading to the production of both para and ortho positronium is studied. Angular momentum coupling and density matrix techniques are used to calculate the probabilities of forming para and ortho positronium in terms of total-electron-spin-dependent scattering amplitudes. The results are used to estimate the fraction of the incoming ortho positronium that has been converted to para positronium due to the exchange of the unpaired electron of the nitric oxide target with the electron of the incoming ortho positronium.
- Publication:
-
APS New England Section Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- October 2008
- Bibcode:
- 2008APS..NEF.E1009S