On the kinetic modeling of electron attachment to polyatomic molecules

Abstract

The description of electron attachment to neutral target molecules by kinetic modeling is compared with dynamical two-state and multi-state zero range potential treatments. It is shown that kinetic modeling, combining electron capture theory with empirical (experimentally fitted) electron-phonon coupling and inelastic scattering factors, approaches the results from the dynamical models provided that the coupling of the electronic wave function for attachment to the ground and excited vibrational states of the neutral is not too large. Strong coupling effects, e.g. resulting in large cusps of the cross sections, are not accounted for by the modeling with separated kinetic steps.