Multiple-scattering processes can be modified when the energy of the incident particle coincides with the energy of a resonant state of the target scatterers. Of particular interest, “proximity” resonances are known to occur for the case of $s$-wave resonances having scattering lengths larger than the distance between scatterers. We investigate the resonant scattering between an incident charged particle and ensembles of $N$ atoms. The equations for the partial-wave multiple-scattering amplitudes are derived and then solved for the case $N=2$. We consider $s$-, $p$-, and $d$-wave resonances and examine how the scattering cross section depends on the distance between and the orientation of the two target atoms. Numerical calculations of the scattering by ensembles of $N=250$ atoms reveal a marked suppression of the scattering cross section at resonance as well as the persistence of multiple scattering at low number densities.

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• Atomic & molecular collisions
• Collective effects in atomic physics
• Scattering theory