Polarization of Lyman-α and Balmer-α emission in proton-hydrogen collisions: A study using first-order Born-Faddeev-type equations

A three-body Born-Faddeev model is devised to calculate the total cross sections of Balmer-α and Lyman-α emissions, for the excitation of hydrogen atoms by proton impact in the energy range of 100keV-7 MeV. In addition, the polarization alignment factor A ₂₀is calculated and compared against available experimental data to further test the theory. Specifically, here we use the Faddeev-Watson-Lovelace formalism to study the excitation of atomic hydrogen from its ground state to the excited states of n = 2 and 3 and magnetic sublevels l = 0, 1 and 2, wherever applicable. The first-order electronic, A ⁽¹⁾ _e, and the first-order nuclear, A ⁽¹⁾ _n, amplitudes are considered in order to calculate the excitation transition matrix (T _PT), while a near-the-shell condition is assumed throughout. In addition, our results were used to calculate the first-order form factors. The present results are compared, where possible, with those of other theoretical and experimental works that are currently available in the literature.