Differential cross sections for elastic electron scattering in argon over the angular range 130°–180°

Abstract

Differential cross sections for elastic electron scattering in argon have been measured in the angular range of backward scattering from 130\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to 180\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} at incident electron energies of 5, 7.5, and $10\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{eV}$. In these measurements the magnetic angle-changing technique with a newly developed conical solenoid system has been employed. The differential cross sections measured in the above scattering angle range together with the cross sections of Gibson et al. [J. Phys. B 29, 3177 (1996)] have been integrated to obtain integral elastic and momentum transfer cross sections. Detailed comparison is presented of the differential and integral cross sections obtained with the results of various theoretical calculations. The results indicate that, in general, the theoretical cross sections at the above electron energies are overestimated at the larger scattering angles.