Constructing Wavefunctions for Nonlocal Potentials

Abstract

A method is developed for constructing wavefunctions for nonlocal interaction potentials of the type that arise in the theory of chemical reactions, electron scattering by molecules, and also in nuclear scattering problems. The nonlocal potential is approximated by piecewise polynomial functions, for which analytic solutions are constructed. Accurate and efficient algorithms are derived for evaluating all the special functions needed for the solutions. The method is particularly advantageous for heavy‐particle scattering at higher energies.