The collisions of slow electrons with atoms—IV

Abstract

The collision of a slow moving electron with an atom is known to be a very complicated phenomenon involving a number of processes which are themselves complex. To obtain even an approximate description of such phenomena the only method of attack is to consider the effects of the different individual processes separately in order of estimate the nature and magnitude of their contributions to the resultant scattering. In both elastic and inelastic scattering the principal processes occurring may be stated as follows:- 1-Scattering by the field of the atom considered electron as undisturbed by the incident electron, the latter being also thought of as only slightly affected by the collision. 2-The distortion of the incident and scattered electron waves by the potential field of the atom, the latter field being taken as the undisturbed atomic field. 3-The exchange of electrons between the incident and scattered electron waves and the atom. 4-The disturbance of the atomic field by the incident electron waves.