Optical oscillator strengths from 'electron-impact photoionization' in the RC potential

Electron-impact collisions excite optically allowed as well as optically forbidden transitions. Details of optical oscillator strengths, calculated using the relativistic local-density central-potential (RC) method, are presented. The oscillator strengths have been calculated using the small-momentum-transfer limit (K → 0) of the electron-impact generalised oscillator strength. Results for the Cooper-minimum trajectories for some high-Z (82-90) atoms and for Kr 3p ionisation are reported. These have been found to be in fair agreement with results of previous calculations in which more involved techniques were used. The present results offer further support to the utility of the RC potential in atomic physics by providing first estimates of some important atomic properties, using a relativistic atomic potential which is computationally not very demanding. 19 refs., 2 figs