QUANTUM TRANSPORT THEORY FOR ATOMIC STATES IN SOLIDS

Research project P 13785 Quantum transport theory Joachim BURGDÖRFER 28.06.1999 The evolution of atomic and ionic states during their passage through solids and plasmas is of considerable interest, both from a fundamental point of view as well as for technological applications. For example, currently envisioned injection schemes for protons into an accumulator ring for the next generation of spallation neutron sources (among others, Austron in Austria) requires the detailed knowledge as well as good control over the fraction of excited neutral H(n) atoms which exit the "stripper foil". Only with a small and well controlled excited state fraction can the radiactive contamination near the first bending magnet kept at operationally acceptable levels. The goal of the present project is to develop and evaluate an ab initio quantum transport theory for the evolution of atomic excited states which will employ a quantum Langevin equation.