Differential elastic and total electron scattering cross sections of tetrahydrofuran

Abstract

Differential elastic scattering cross sections of tetrahydrofuran for electrons were measured absolutely in the energy range from 20 eV to 1 keV at scattering angles between 5\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} and 135\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}. The measurements were carried out using a crossed-beam arrangement without the application of the widely used relative flow technique. The experimental differential scattering cross sections could be put on an absolute scale by means of the total electron scattering cross sections of tetrahydrofuran and of the current loss of the primary electron beam in the forward direction arising due to the scattering by the molecular beam. The total scattering cross sections were determined for electron energies between 6 eV and 1 keV using a separate linear transmission experiment. The differential cross sections of tetrahydrofuran for the elastic scattering of electrons were also calculated in the energy range between 60 eV and 1 keV by applying the modified independent-atom model. A comparison with the experimental results showed a satisfactory agreement, indicating that the selected theoretical model is adequate for these calculations.