Muon Transfer in Gas Targets

Abstract

The transfer of a negative muon from a proton to a heavy atom Q, μ,^-p + Q → p + μ^-, Q, is treated in terms of a classical description of the μp trajectory. We discuss the muon transfer rate itself, the subsequent population of states in the atom Q, and the effects of electron screening. The polarizability of the μp atom emerges as a crucial factor in the transfer process.

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