Electron Scattering


Book Description

There is a unity to physics; it is a discipline which provides the most fundamental understanding of the dynamics of matter and energy. To understand anything about a physical system you have to interact with it and one of the best ways to learn something is to use electrons as probes. This book is the result of a meeting, which took place in Magdalene College Cambridge in December 2001. Atomic, nuclear, cluster, soHd state, chemical and even bio- physicists got together to consider scattering electrons to explore matter in all its forms. Theory and experiment were represented in about equal measure. It was meeting marked by the most lively of discussions and the free exchange of ideas. We all learnt a lot. The Editors are grateful to EPSRC through its Collaborative Computational Project program (CCP2), lOPP, the Division of Atomic, Molecular, Optical and Plasma Physics (DAMOPP) and the Atomic Molecular Interactions group (AMIG) of the Institute of Physics for financial support. The smooth running of the meeting was enormously facilitated by the efficiency and helpfulness of the staff of Magdalene College, for which we are extremely grateful. This meeting marked the end for one of us (CTW) of a ten-year period as a fellow of the College and he would like to take this opportunity to thank the fellows and staff for the privilege of working with them.










Scattering Theory Of Molecules, Atoms And Nuclei


Book Description

The aim of the book is to give a coherent and comprehensive account of quantum scattering theory with applications to atomic, molecular and nuclear systems. The motivation for this is to supply the necessary theoretical tools to calculate scattering observables of these many-body systems. Concepts which are seemingly different for atomic/molecular scattering from those of nuclear systems, are shown to be the same once physical units such as energy and length are diligently clarified. Many-body resonances excited in nuclear systems are the same as those in atomic systems and come under the name of Feshbach resonances. We also lean heavily on semi-classical methods to explain the physics of quantum scattering — especially the interference seen in the angle dependence of the cross section. Having in mind a wide readership, the book includes sections on scattering in two dimensions which is of use in surface physics. Several problems are also included at the end of each of the chapters.




Scattering of Photons by Many-Electron Systems


Book Description

The quantum physics of photon scattering processes in atoms, atomic ions and simple molecules, are discussed in this unique approach. Focusing on this topic from a theoretical perspective, this volume fulfills a need for researchers and students in the field.




Variational Methods in Electron-Atom Scattering Theory


Book Description

The investigation of scattering phenomena is a major theme of modern physics. A scattered particle provides a dynamical probe of the target system. The practical problem of interest here is the scattering of a low energy electron by an N-electron atom. It has been difficult in this area of study to achieve theoretical results that are even qualitatively correct, yet quantitative accuracy is often needed as an adjunct to experiment. The present book describes a quantitative theoretical method, or class of methods, that has been applied effectively to this problem. Quantum mechanical theory relevant to the scattering of an electron by an N-electron atom, which may gain or lose energy in the process, is summarized in Chapter 1. The variational theory itself is presented in Chapter 2, both as currently used and in forms that may facilitate future applications. The theory of multichannel resonance and threshold effects, which provide a rich structure to observed electron-atom scattering data, is presented in Chapter 3. Practical details of the computational implementation of the variational theory are given in Chapter 4. Chapters 5 and 6 summarize recent appli cations of the variational theory to problems of experimental interest, with many examples of the successful interpretation of complex structural fea tures observed in scattering experiments, and of the quantitative prediction of details of electron-atom scattering phenomena.




Electron Scattering: Theory & Applications


Book Description

A balanced and comprehensive account is given here of the electron-atom-molecule scattering calculations carried out by the author. The topic is of great interest owing to many-fold relevance e.g. in the planetary and outer space environments. Collisions of electrons with atoms and molecules provide a unique diagnostic probe of the fundamental interactions of atomic-molecular systems and are the basic physical processes that determine the behavior of ionized gases. To understand and to predict quantitatively the behavior of ionized gases found in planetary environments etc, requires development of theory of electron collisions along with mathematical and computational tools that enable reliable calculations of the different collision parameters. The present book signifies our sincere efforts towards electron-atom-molecule scattering: theory and scattering cross section calculations. The derived scattering cross sections can be utilized to carry out variety of parameters. The applications of these cross sections in the planetary atmospheres and outer space environments have been discussed in the next volume of this book series.




Electron-Molecule Scattering and Photoionization


Book Description

This volume contains the invited papers and selected contributed papers presented at the International Symposium on 'Electron-Molecule Scattering and Photoionization' held at SERC's Daresbury Laboratory, Cheshire, England from 18th to 19th July, 1987. This Symposium was a Satellite Meeting to the XVth International Conference on the Physics of Electronic and Atomic Collisions (ICPEAC I and follows a tradition of Satellite Meetings i. n related areas of collisions held in association with previous ICPEAC's. In order to make this volume as representative of the Symposium as possible 'Hot Topics' presented orally at the meeting together with a few papers selected by the Programme Committee from the contributed posters are included. The Editors are grateful to the authors for responding rapidly to the invitation to submit their contri butions for inclusion in the volume, as indeed they are grateful to all the authors for the high quality of their contributions. The Symposium brought together over 100 scientists from many countries and from broad interdisciplinary backgrounds to hear about current rapid advances in electron-molecule scatteri. ng and photoioniza tion. These advances have been stimulated on the experimental side by the increasing availability of electron beams with millivolt energy resolution, by synchrotron radiation sources and by intense tunable lasers. On the theoretical side the introduction of new computational methods enables accurate predictions to be made, resulting in a new and deeper understanding of the basic physical processes involved.




Low-Energy Electron Scattering from Molecules, Biomolecules and Surfaces


Book Description

Since the turn of the 21st century, the field of electron molecule collisions has undergone a renaissance. The importance of such collisions in applications from radiation chemistry to astrochemistry has flowered, and their role in industrial processes such as plasma technology and lighting are vital to the advancement of next generation devices. F




Potential Scattering in Atomic Physics


Book Description

This monograph was written while the author was a visitor at the Center for Theoretical Studies at the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida. The author wishes to thank Professor Behram Kursunoglu for the warm hospitality extended to him at the Center and to acknowledge the many interesting and fruitful discussions which he had with other visitors and with members of staff at the Center. Philip G. Burke v Contents 1. Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2. Scattering by a Short-Range Potential. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 3. Scattering by a Coulomb Potential. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 4. Scattering by a Spin-Orbit Potential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . " 17 5. Scattering by One-Electron Atoms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 6. Low-Energy Effective-Range Theory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 7. Bound States and Resonances. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 8. Variational Methods and Bound Principles. . . . . . . . . . 75 9. Integral Equation Methods and the Born Approximation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 10. Semiclassical and Eikonal Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Appendix. The Coupling of Angular Momenta . . . . . . . . . . . 127 References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 vii 1 Introduction In this monograph we study the scattering of a particle by a potential field with particular reference to elastic electron scat tering by a neutral atom or by an ion. This subject is clearly of interest in its own right as a branch of quantum mechanical scattering theory. However, it also serves as an introduction to many of the basic theoretical concepts which are used in inelastic electron scattering and ionization. Consequently this mono graph can be viewed as an introduction to texts where these subjects are treated.