High-energy forward elastic scattering of electrons: Born amplitudes for a pseudostate model of atomic hydrogen

Abstract

Exact second-Born-approximation elastic scattering amplitudes are computed for a dipole excitation pseudostate model of electron scattering by ground-state atomic hydrogen. Calculations at 15, 25, and 35 keV incident energy show a forward peak in the differential elastic cross section. The optical theorem is exactly satisfied by these calculations, and the magnitude of the forward peak is determined primarily by physical values of the atomic static polarizability and oscillator strength. In the energy range considered, the computed peak is smaller by a large factor than the magnitude required to interpret recently observed experimental data in terms of single elastic collisions of electrons with ground-state atoms.