Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Journal of Physics Conference Series

Positron scattering from noble gases future prospects

A. C. L. Jones, Peter Caradonna, Casten Makochekanwa, Daniel S. Slaughter, James Patrick Sullivan, Stephen J. Buckman, Jim Mitroy

Published Nov 1, 2009• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

Recent results for positron scattering from noble gases over an energy range from 0.5 to 60eV are presented. Measurements include the grand total ( σ GT ), Ps formation ( σ Ps ) and Grand total – Ps formation ( (σ GT -P s ) cross sections. Some preliminary DCS results will also be presented. Work on a formulation of modified effective range theory (MERT) is being undertaken to determine the value of the scattering length [1] which may be useful for identifying a bound state. Plans for experiments on metal atoms will be outlined.

DOI
10.1088/1742-6596/194/7/072012

Related papers

Measurements of positronium-formation cross sections for positrons scattered by Rb atoms

A. Surdutovich, J. Jiang, Walter E. Kauppila +3 more

Measurements of positronium (Ps) -formation cross sections (upper and lower limits) for positrons (1--17 eV) scattered by Rb atoms are reported. These measurements, along with recent measurements and calculations of total cross sections, provide evidence that coupling effects between Ps formation and other scattering channels may be very important for energies below 10 eV for Rb. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.

Physical Review A•Apr 1, 1996•24 citations

Very low-energy total cross sections and the experimental scattering length for the positron–xenon system

Antonio Zecca A, Luca Chiari, Emanuele Trainotti +1 more

We report total cross-section (TCS) results for low-energy positron scattering from the noble gas xenon. A comparison with previous measurements shows a good level of accord with the recent results of the ANU group (2011 New J. Phys. 13 125004). Very good qualitative agreement is also found with the convergent close-coupling (CCC) calculation of Fursa and Bray (2012 New J. Phys. 14 035002) over most of the common energies. By using the shape of the CCC results as a guide, we also extrapolate our measured cross sections to very low energy. With the aid of the CCC theory, we therefore derive the first experimental estimate for the positron–xenon scattering length of a = −99.2 ± 18.4 au. This value is found to be consistent with the CCC-based estimate and also with those of some other theories. This result supports the existence of a positron–xenon virtual state at a positron energy ε = (1.4 ± 0.6) × 10 −3 eV.

Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Mar 23, 2012•27 citations

Positron scattering from argon: total cross sections and the scattering length

A. Zecca, Luca Chiari, Emanuele Trainotti +6 more

We report results from new positron–argon total cross-section (TCS) measurements. Agreement with the corresponding recent data of Jones et al (2011 Phys. Rev. A 83 032701) is found to be very good, except at the lowest energies of common measurement. Excellent qualitative agreement is also found between our measurements and an improved convergent close-coupling (CCC) calculation which was undertaken as a part of this study. This level of accord between our experimental and theoretical TCSs has enabled us to determine an experimental scattering length ( a ) of a = −4.9 ± 0.7 au for the positron–argon system. That value is in excellent agreement with the relativistic polarized orbital optical potential approach result of Jones et al ( a = −4.7 au) and our CCC result of a = −4.3 au.

Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Dec 9, 2011•49 citations

Positron Cooling and Annihilation in Noble Gases

Dermot G. Green

Positron cooling and annihilation in room temperature noble gases is simulated using accurate scattering and annihilation cross sections calculated with many-body theory, enabling the first simultaneous probing of the energy dependence of the scattering and annihilation cross sections. A strikingly small fraction of positrons is shown to survive to thermalization: ∼0.1 in He, ∼0 in Ne, ∼0.15 in Ar, ∼0.05 in Kr, and ∼0.01 in Xe. For Xe, the time-varying annihilation rate Z[over ¯]_{eff}(τ) is shown to be highly sensitive to the depletion of the momentum distribution due to annihilation, conclusively explaining the long-standing discrepancy between gas-cell and trap-based measurements. Overall, the use of the accurate atomic data gives Z[over ¯]_{eff}(τ) in close agreement with experiment for all noble gases except Ne, the experiment for which is proffered to have suffered from incomplete knowledge of the fraction of positrons surviving to thermalization and/or the presence of impurities.

arXiv:1706.01434•Physical Review Letters•Nov 16, 2017•12 citations

Virtual and bound states in low-energy positron scattering by atoms and molecules via modified effective range theory

Kamil Fedus, Grzegorz P. Karwasz

Abstract Modified effective range theory is applied as a tool to determine bound and virtual state energies in low-energy positron elastic scattering by atoms and molecules. This is achieved by the S-matrix continuation into the complex momentum plane, allowing to identify poles related to shallow energy states. The influence of the long-range polarization potential (∼r −4) on the bound and virtual-state pole positions is analyzed for noble gases and nonpolar molecules such as H2, N2, and CH4. The quantitative relations between the S-matrix poles and the s-wave scattering length accounting for dipole polarization are introduced.

Journal of Physics Communications•Apr 1, 2024•2 citations

Electron Scattering from Neon Via Effective Range Theory

Kamil Fedus

Elastic cross-sections for electron scattering on neon from 0 energy up to 16 eV are analyzed by an analytical approach to the modified effective range theory (MERT). It is shown that energy and angular variations of elastic differential, integral and momentum transfer cross-sections can be accurately parameterized by six MERT coefficients up to the energy threshold for the first Feshbach resonance. MERT parameters are determined empirically by numerical comparison with large collection of available experimental data of elastic total (integral) cross-sections. The present analysis is validated against numerous electron beams and swarm experiments. The comparison of derived MERT parameters with those found for other noble gases, helium, argon and krypton, is done. The derived scattering length (for the s-partial wave) in neon, 0.227 a 0, agrees well with recent theories; it is small but, differently from Ar and Kr, still positive. Analogue parameters for the p-wave and the d-wave are negative and positive respectively for all the four gases compared.

Brazilian Journal of Physics•Oct 8, 2014•10 citations
Recent results for positron scattering from noble gases over an energy range from 0.5 to 60eV are presented. Measurements include the grand total ( σ GT ), Ps formation ( σ Ps ) and Grand total – Ps formation ( (σ GT -P s ) cross sections. Some preliminary DCS results will also be presented. Work on a formulation of modified effective range theory (MERT) is being undertaken to determine the value of the scattering length [1] which may be useful for identifying a bound state. Plans for experiments on metal atoms will be outlined.
We report total cross-section (TCS) results for low-energy positron scattering from the noble gas xenon. A comparison with previous measurements shows a good level of accord with the recent results of the ANU group (2011 New J. Phys. 13 125004). Very good qualitative agreement is also found with the convergent close-coupling (CCC) calculation of Fursa and Bray (2012 New J. Phys. 14 035002) over most of the common energies. By using the shape of the CCC results as a guide, we also extrapolate our measured cross sections to very low energy. With the aid of the CCC theory, we therefore derive the first experimental estimate for the positron–xenon scattering length of a = −99.2 ± 18.4 au. This value is found to be consistent with the CCC-based estimate and also with those of some other theories. This result supports the existence of a positron–xenon virtual state at a positron energy ε = (1.4 ± 0.6) × 10 −3 eV.
We report results from new positron–argon total cross-section (TCS) measurements. Agreement with the corresponding recent data of Jones et al (2011 Phys. Rev. A 83 032701) is found to be very good, except at the lowest energies of common measurement. Excellent qualitative agreement is also found between our measurements and an improved convergent close-coupling (CCC) calculation which was undertaken as a part of this study. This level of accord between our experimental and theoretical TCSs has enabled us to determine an experimental scattering length ( a ) of a = −4.9 ± 0.7 au for the positron–argon system. That value is in excellent agreement with the relativistic polarized orbital optical potential approach result of Jones et al ( a = −4.7 au) and our CCC result of a = −4.3 au.
Positron cooling and annihilation in room temperature noble gases is simulated using accurate scattering and annihilation cross sections calculated with many-body theory, enabling the first simultaneous probing of the energy dependence of the scattering and annihilation cross sections. A strikingly small fraction of positrons is shown to survive to thermalization: ∼0.1 in He, ∼0 in Ne, ∼0.15 in Ar, ∼0.05 in Kr, and ∼0.01 in Xe. For Xe, the time-varying annihilation rate Z[over ¯]_{eff}(τ) is shown to be highly sensitive to the depletion of the momentum distribution due to annihilation, conclusively explaining the long-standing discrepancy between gas-cell and trap-based measurements. Overall, the use of the accurate atomic data gives Z[over ¯]_{eff}(τ) in close agreement with experiment for all noble gases except Ne, the experiment for which is proffered to have suffered from incomplete knowledge of the fraction of positrons surviving to thermalization and/or the presence of impurities.
Abstract Modified effective range theory is applied as a tool to determine bound and virtual state energies in low-energy positron elastic scattering by atoms and molecules. This is achieved by the S-matrix continuation into the complex momentum plane, allowing to identify poles related to shallow energy states. The influence of the long-range polarization potential (∼r −4) on the bound and virtual-state pole positions is analyzed for noble gases and nonpolar molecules such as H2, N2, and CH4. The quantitative relations between the S-matrix poles and the s-wave scattering length accounting for dipole polarization are introduced.
Elastic cross-sections for electron scattering on neon from 0 energy up to 16 eV are analyzed by an analytical approach to the modified effective range theory (MERT). It is shown that energy and angular variations of elastic differential, integral and momentum transfer cross-sections can be accurately parameterized by six MERT coefficients up to the energy threshold for the first Feshbach resonance. MERT parameters are determined empirically by numerical comparison with large collection of available experimental data of elastic total (integral) cross-sections. The present analysis is validated against numerous electron beams and swarm experiments. The comparison of derived MERT parameters with those found for other noble gases, helium, argon and krypton, is done. The derived scattering length (for the s-partial wave) in neon, 0.227 a 0, agrees well with recent theories; it is small but, differently from Ar and Kr, still positive. Analogue parameters for the p-wave and the d-wave are negative and positive respectively for all the four gases compared.