Comparison of quantum-mechanical and classical trajectory calculations of cross sections for ion-atom impact ionization of negative and positive ions for heavy-ion fusion applications

The comparision of quantum-mechanical and classical trajectory calculations of cross sections for ion-atom impact ionization of negative and positive ions for heavy-ion fusion applications was presented. The stripping cross sections in nitrogen were calculated by using the classical trajectory approximation and the Born approximation of quantum mechanics for the outer shell electrons of 3.2 GeV I^- and Cs⁺ ions. It was found that the classical trajectory approach fails to correctly predict the stripping cross sections at high energies for electron orbitals with low ionization potential.