Cross-section studies of cyanoacetylene by electron impact

Abstract

The present article provides the first comprehensive study of electron scattering from the cyanoacetylene molecule. The results reported here include integral elastic cross-sections over a wide energy range (0.5 to 5000 eV) and differential, momentum transfer and electronic excitation cross-sections at low energies (<10 eV). For the computation of cross-sections over such a wide energy range, two formalisms are employed: the ab initio R-matrix method and the spherical complex-optical-potential method operating at low and high incident energies, respectively. The total ionization cross-section has also been calculated using the complex scattering potential-ionization contribution method and shows excellent agreement with previously reported values. The target parameters and resonance positions predicted by the R-matrix method are in reasonable agreement with, albeit limited, previous data. The resonances identified at low energies are associated to several dissociative electron-attachment channels.