Non-resonant formation

A straightforward process for muonic molecular formation is via the emission of an Auger electron:

$$\mu x + YZ \rightarrow [(x\mu y)^{+}ze] + e^{-}.$$ (8)

The rate for this non-resonant process is typically of the order of 10⁶s^-1, hence one muon could catalyze not many more than one fusion, if this were the only process for formation.

The most recent calculations of the non-resonant molecular formation rates were performed by Faifman for all the combinations of collisions [51]. Using the molecular bound state energy levels and wave functions derived from the improved two level approximation in the Adiabatic Representation (Section 2.1.3), the rates were calculated taking into account monopole E0 and dipole E1 Auger transitions to all the bound states (earlier calculations considered only selected states). Note that the existence of weakly bound states, which is of paramount importance for resonant formation, also affects non-resonant formation.

 

Table 1.2: Non-resonant muonic molecular formation rates in 10⁶ s^-1 by Faifman [51].

Reaction		Collision energy (cms) [eV]
		0.003	0.040	0.100
$\mu p+p\rightarrow p\mu p$		1.81	1.80	1.78
$\mu d+d\rightarrow d\mu d$		0.03	0.10	0.22
$\mu t+t\rightarrow t\mu t$		2.71	2.64	2.57
$\mu d+p\rightarrow p\mu d$		5.69	5.63	5.54
$\mu p+d\rightarrow p\mu d$		0.17	0.16	0.15
$\mu t+d\rightarrow d\mu t$		0.56	6.07	11.60
$\mu d+t\rightarrow d\mu t$		2.26	2.21	2.15
$\mu t+p\rightarrow p\mu t$		6.47	6.38	6.27
$\mu p+t\rightarrow p\mu t$		0.03	0.03	0.03