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