Elastic Scattering of Electron by a Calcium Atom using Distorted Wave Method

Abstract

Cross sections for electron scattering from atoms and molecules are very important for the understanding of electron interaction with the targets and for determining dynamics of the collision processes. The cross sections for inelastic scattering are important in laser development and in plasma physics. Elastic scattering cross sections are useful in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger-electron spectrosoepy. In this study the distorted wave method was applied in calculation of the differential and integral cross sections for elastic scattering of electron by a calcium atom at electron impact energies of 10-200 eV and for a range of scattering angles (8) from 0° up to 180°. Being an elastic scattering both the initial and final distortion potential were taken as the static potential of a calcium atom in the initial state. The distorted waves were determined by partial wave expansion method by expanding them in terms of spherical harmonics while the radial equation corresponding to distorted waves were evaluated using Numerov method. A computer program DWBA1 for electron-hydrogen scattering was modified to perform the numerical calculations for electron-calcium scattering and the results for differential and integral cross sections were calculated and compared with experimental and theoretical results available. The comparison of the integral cross section results with other theoretical and experimental results show that present results are in good agreement with the experimental results. At lower incident energies, 10-20 eV the present DCS results are not in good agreement with other theoretical and experimental results. However, at higher incident energies, 40-200 eV the present DCS results are in good agreement with other theoretical and experimental results. So, it can be said that the present DWM works well for electron-calcium elastic scattering