Resonant scattering of electrons by molecules

Abstract

In this article the effect of resonances (i.e. metastable states capable of decaying by electron emission) on electron-molecule and heavy particle collisions is considered. In part I resonances are classified into different types: shape resonances, and electron-excited and nuclear-excited Feshbach resonances. Many of the observed resonances and their properties are discussed in terms of this classification. In part II resonance scattering theory is summarized. A survey is given of experiments, and their theoretical analysis, on resonance phenomena in processes such as vibrational excitation and dissociative attachment of molecules by electron impact and electron detachment in atom-atom collisions.