We are reporting on a quantum-mechanically complete experimental and theoretical study of electron transfer from nonisotropic initial states to nonisotropic final states. The processes under consideration are the charge-exchange reactions ${\mathrm{H}}^{+}+\mathrm{Na}{(3p}_{\pm 1})\to \mathrm{H}{(2p}_{0,\pm 1})+{\mathrm{Na}}^{+}$ at a projectile energy of 1 keV, requiring, for a complete description, the determination of a minimum of five real parameters. Two of the three off-diagonal matrix elements and the trace of the density matrix (the total differential cross section) have been directly determined from an angular correlation analysis of the experiment. In parallel, atomic-orbital coupled-channel calculations have been performed. The results are used for the final analysis of the density-matrix elements, and allow a complete extraction of all amplitudes and phases from the experimental data.

• Received 25 May 1999

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.61.022710