Mechanisms of positron annihilation on molecules

Abstract

The aim of this work is to identify the mechanisms responsible for very large rates and other peculiarities observed in low-energy positron annihilation on molecules. The two mechanisms considered are: (i) Direct annihilation of the incoming positron with one of the molecular electrons. This mechanism dominates for atoms and small molecules. I show that its contribution to the annihilation rate can be related to the positron elastic scattering cross section. This mechanism is characterized by strong energy dependence of the annihilation rate at small positron energies if a low-lying virtual level or a weakly bound state exists for the positron. (ii) Resonant annihilation, which takes place when the positron undergoes resonant capture into a vibrationally excited quasibound state of the positron-molecule complex. This mechanism dominates for larger molecules capable of forming bound states with the positron. For this mechanism the energy-averaged annihilation rate is proportional to the level density of the positron-molecule complex, which is basically determined by the spectrum of molecular vibrational states populated in the positron capture. For room-temperature positrons this mechnism can produce annihilation rates up to 5 orders of magnitude greater than the first one. Its contribution is inversely proportional to the positron momentum at small positron energies.