Elastic and inelastic electron scattering by laser-excited 138Ba(... 6s6p 1P1) atoms

Sandor Trajmar, Igor Bray, Dmitry V. Fursa +4 more

Sandor Trajmar

Sandor Trajmar, I. Kanik, M. A. Khakoo +4 more

Sandor Trajmar, I. Kanik, V. Karaganov +2 more

Experimental studies concerning elastic and inelastic electron scattering by coherently ensembles of Ba (...6s6p (sub 1)P(sub 1)) atoms with various degrees of alignment will be described. An in-plane, linearly-polarized laser beam was utilized to prepare these target ensembles and the electron scattering signal as a function of polarization angle was measured for several laser geometries at fixed impact energies and scattering angles. From these measurements, we derived cross sections and electron-impact coherence parameters associated with the electron scattering process which is time reverse of the actual experimentally studied process. This interpretation of the experiment is based on the theory of Macek and Herte. The experimental results were also interpreted in terms of cross sections and collision parameters associated with the actual experimental processes. Results obtained so far will be presented and plans for further studies will be discussed.

Sandor Trajmar, I. Kanik, M. A. Khakoo +4 more

The results of a joint experimental and theoretical study concerning elastic electron scattering by laser-excited 138 Ba( ... 6s6p 1 P 1 ) atoms are described. These studies demonstrate several important aspects of elastic electron collisions with coherently excited atoms, and are the first such studies. From the measurements, collision and coherence parameters, as well as cross sections associated with an atomic ensemble prepared with an arbitrary in-plane laser geometry and linear polarization (with respect to the collision frame), or equivalently with any magnetic sublevel superposition, have been obtained at 20 eV impact energy and at 10°, 15° and 20° scattering angles. The convergent close-coupling (CCC) method was used within the non-relativistic LS -coupling framework to calculate the magnetic sublevel scattering amplitudes. From these amplitudes all the parameters and cross sections at 20 eV impact energy were extracted in the full angular range in 1° steps. The experimental and theoretical results were found to be in good agreement, indicating that the CCC method can be reliably applied to elastic scattering by 138 Ba( ... 6s6p 1 P 1 ) atoms, and possibly to other heavy elements when spin-orbit coupling effects are negligible. Small but significant asymmetry was observed in the cross sections for scattering to the left and to the right. It was also found that elastic electron scattering by the initially isotropic atomic ensemble resulted in the creation of significant alignment. As a byproduct of the present studies, elastic scattering cross sections for metastable 138 Ba atoms were also obtained.

P W Zetner, Jeff Hein