Elastic Scattering of Slow Electrons by Noble Gases—The Effective Range Theory and the Rigid Sphere Model

We report on an extensive semi-empirical analysis of scattering cross-sections for electron elastic collision with noble gases via the Markov Chain Monte Carlo-Modified Effective Range Theory (MCMC−MERT). In this approach, the contribution of the long-range polarization potential (∼r−4) to the scattering phase shifts is precisely expressed, while the effect of the complex short-range interaction is modeled by simple quadratic expression (the so-called effective range expansion with several adjustable parameters). Additionally, we test a simple potential model of a rigid sphere combined with r−4 interaction. Both models, the MERT and the rigid sphere are based on the analytical properties of Mathieu functions, i.e., the solutions of radial Schrödinger equation with pure polarization potential. However, in contrast to MERT, the rigid sphere model depends entirely upon one adjustable parameter—the radius of a hard-core. The model’s validity is assessed by a comparative study against numerous experimental cross-sections and theoretical phase shifts. We show that this simple approach can successfully describe the electron elastic collisions with helium and neon for energies below 1 eV. The purpose of the present analysis is to give insight into the relations between the parameters of both models (that translate into the cross-sections in the very low energy range) and some “macroscopic” features of atoms such as the polarizability and atomic “radii”.

Deep Minimum and a Vortex for Positronium Formation in Low-Energy Positron-Helium Collisions

We find a zero in the positronium formation scattering amplitude and a deep minimum in the logarithm of the corresponding differential cross section for positron–helium collisions for an energy just above the positronium formation threshold. Corresponding to the zero, there is a vortex in the extended velocity field that is associated with this amplitude when one treats both the magnitude of the momentum of the incident positron and the angle of the scattered positronium as independent variables. Using the complex Kohn variational method, we determine accurately two-channel K-matrices for positron–helium collisions in the Ore gap. We fit these K-matrices using both polynomials and the Watanabe and Greene’s multichannel effective range theory taking into account explicitly the polarization potential in the Ps-He+ channel. Using the fitted K-matrices we determine the extended velocity field and show that it rotates anticlockwise around the zero in the positronium formation scattering amplitude. We find that there is a valley in the logarithm of the positronium formation differential cross section that includes the deep minimum and also a minimum in the forward direction.

Low-Energy Ps-Xe Scattering Analyzed Using a Modified Effective Range Theory

We have investigated positronium‒xenon collisions at energies below 100 meV to find a strong temperature dependences of the annihilation rates. A partial wave analysis based on a modified effective range theory (MERT) is tested to explain the temperature dependences and to find significant contributions of the p-wave scattering component. The fact that MERT works well for analyzing positronium‒xenon collisions indicates that positronium is polarized during the collisions as proposed by other theoretical and experimental researchers.

Calculation of Average Collision Cross Sections of Low Energy for Elastic e-Ar Scattering Using MERT4

Cross sections in the very low energy range are also represented by the modified effective-range theory (MERT) for low-energy electron scattering from the rare gas (argon). Simulations using published (theoretical) phase shifts indicate that extended versions of the standard effective-range theory with four adjustable parameters are required to give an adequate description of the phase shifts for argon. A four-parameter MERT fit gives a good representation of a recent electron–argon (e-Ar) total cross section experiment at energies less than 10.0 eV. Cross section Q(l) (E) for collision in dilute gases is given for any order l. Here Q(l) (E) are presented for l = 1. . .6. We present calculations for the elastic cross sections for electron scattering from argon. The improvement in the agreement between our theoretical calculations and the experimental measurements in the case of argon in scattering calculations are showed. Differential scattering experiments have been performed for the systems e-Ar in the energy range E = 0–10 eV and the angular range θ = 0–20° using a crossed-beam arrangement. Differential and integrated cross sections for the elastic scattering of low- and intermediate-energy (0–50 eV) electrons by argon atoms are calculated. For each impact energy, the phase shifts of the lower partial waves are obtained exactly by numerical integration of the radial equation. Transport coefficients of argon plasma are requested exactly, which is why we calculated the average collision cross sections for s = 1. . .11, l = 1. . .6.