A relativistic molecular approach to the intra-L-shell coupling in asymmetric collisions

In order to explain the disagreement that exists between L-shell ionisation data in slow asymmetric collisions and first-order direct ionisation theories, the authors developed a relativistic molecular model of the collisional intra-shell coupling. As a consequence of the rotational coupling among the molecular orbitals correlating to the L3 magnetic substrates, strong dealignment relative to the primary ionisation and even sign reversal of the alignment parameter is predicted. This behaviour is in agreement with the trend in experimental data at low projectile velocities.