Electron-atom bremsstrahlung: double differential cross section and polarization correlations

Abstract

The leading-order electron-atom bremsstrahlung is investigated within the rigorous relativistic approach based on the partial-wave representation of the Dirac wave functions in the external atomic field. Approximating the atomic target by an effective local potential, we calculate the double-differential cross section and the polarization correlations in a wide range of the impact energies. Connection between the bremsstrahlung at the hard-photon end point of the spectrum and the continuum-threshold limit of the radiative recombination is studied. A detailed analysis of the screening effect and the energy dependence of the polarization correlations is presented, with the main focus on the high impact energy region.