Algebraic rotating-frame approach to electron-molecule scattering.

Abstract

An approach to electron scattering from molecules is discussed, in which an algebraic description of the rovibrational states in the molecule (vibron model) is combined with a rotating-frame approximation. The latter was first introduced for atomic-molecule scattering under the name centrifugal sudden approximation. The coupled multichannel problem reduces to single-channel central potential scattering with a fluctuating potential. The method is applied to electron scattering from a rigid molecule with large dipole moment. Comparison with exact coupled-channel calculation shows that the approach works well for all partial waves except those with very low angular momentum. The method is also compared with the algebraic eikonal approach.