Absolute differential cross sections for scattering of keV O-atoms

G. J. Smith, R. S. Gao, B. G. Lindsay, K. A. Smith and R. F. Stebbings

Phys Rev A 53, 1581 (1996)

This paper reports measurements of absolute differential cross sections for the direct scattering of oxygen atoms by He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, H₂ ,N₂ ,O₂ , CO, CO₂,H₂ O, SO₂,NH₃,CH₄ ,CF₄, and SF₆ targets. The measured cross sections include contributions from all elastic and inelastic processes that result in a fast neutral oxygen atom product. Cross sections are presented for 0.5- and 1.5-keV projectile energies over the laboratory angular range 0.2° ­5°. When compared in the center-of-mass reference frame, these cross sections exhibit a high degree of similarity in both amplitude and angular dependence. The cross sections for N₂ , CO, CO₂, and H₂ O are inverted using a partial-wave analysis to yield empirical interaction potentials, which can then be used to extrapolate the measurements down to lower energies. Using these potentials, cross sections are evaluated at 0.1 keV.