Electron scattering from tin tetrachloride (SnCl4) molecules

Abstract

Absolute grand-total cross section (TCS) for electron scattering from a tin tetrachloride, SnCl4, molecule was measured at electron-impact energies ranging from 0.6 to 300 eV, in the linear electron-transmission experiment. The measured TCS energy dependence shows two very pronounced enhancements peaking near 1.2 eV and around 9.5 eV, separated with a deep minimum centered close to 3 eV. The low energy structure is attributed to the formation of two short-living negative ion states. Additional weak structures in the TCS curve are also perceptible. We also calculated the integral elastic and ionization cross sections for SnCl4 up to 4 keV within the additivity rule approximation and the binary-encounter-Bethe approach, respectively. To examine the role of the central atom of tetrachloride target molecules in collisions with electrons, we compared the experimental TCS energy functions for XCl4 molecules (X = C, Si, Ge, Sn).