Electron-ion recombination of Si IV forming Si III: Storage-ring measurement and multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock calculations

The electron-ion recombination rate coefficient for Si IV forming Si III was measured at the heavy-ion storage-ring TSR. The experimental electron-ion collision energy range of 0–186 eV encompassed the 2p6nln′l′ dielectronic recombination (DR) resonances associated with 3s→nl core excitations, 2s2p63snln′l′ resonances associated with 2s→nl (n=3,4) core excitations, and 2p53snln′l′ resonances associated with 2p→nl (n=3,…,∞) core excitations. The experimental DR results are compared with theoretical calculations using the multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock (MCDF) method for DR via the 3s→3pn′l′ and 3s→3dn′l′(both n′=3,…,6) and 2p53s3ln′l′ (n′=3,4) capture channels. Finally, the experimental and theoretical plasma DR rate coefficients for Si IV forming Si III are derived and compared with previously available results