Resonant R-matrix theory of inelastic processes in collisions of electrons with HF molecules

Abstract

The resonant R-matrix theory is applied to the calculation of vibrational excitation and dissociative attachment cross sections in collisions of electrons with HF molecules. The parameters of the authors' model were chosen by fitting eigenphase sums for e-HF scattering to the results of ab initio R-matrix calculations by Morgan and Burke (1988). Another set of parameters was chosen to get a better agreement with experimental results on vibrational excitation. Dissociative attachment cross sections calculated with these parameters are in good agreement with experimental results. The authors also calculated cross sections for vibrational excitation from excited states and angular distribution of the scattered electrons. By comparing their results for angular distribution with experimental ones they have made conclusions about the validity of the resonant approach.