Absolute differential cross sections for electron elastic scattering and vibrational excitation in nitrogen in the angular range from 120° to 180°

Abstract

Absolute differential cross sections for elastic electron scattering and vibrational (v = 0→1) excitation in nitrogen have been measured in the range of scattering angle from 120° to 180° at an incident electron energy of 5 eV. The measurements have been carried out using the magnetic angle-changing technique that allows observation of scattering in the backward direction. These results, together with the existing experimental data for lower scattering angles, give differential cross sections over a wide angular range from close to zero to 180°. The importance of short- and long-range correlation (polarization) interactions for elastic electron scattering at forward and backward directions is discussed.