Differential cross sections for electron capture in fast proton-multielectron-atom collisions

Differential cross sections for electron capture in fast-proton-multielectron-atom collisions are obtained by using the eikonal approximation for the internuclear interaction and the two-state, two-center atomic-expansion method for the electron-capture amplitude in the impact-parameter formulation. The importance of the internuclear potential and the various approximations for the electron-capture probability for the differential cross section is examined. It is found that when the projectile deflection is included, the two-state, two-center atomic-expansion method can predict differential cross sections with good agreement with experimental data of Cocke et al. and of Bratton et al.