Electron scattering by nitrogen molecules at intermediate energies

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Abstract
The total scattering and vibrational excitation cross sections for e-N2 scattering are calculated for the first time at intermediate energies using an ab initio method. The calculations are based on the use of numerical basis functions in the R-matrix method, and exchange and charge polarisation effects are included without parametrisation. At low energies, good agreement is obtained with other ab initio calculations both for the position and width of the 2 Pi g resonance. In the energy range from 20-30 eV the vibrational cross sections are dominated by the 2 Sigma u resonance, and it is found that the resonance parameters depend strongly on the internuclear separation. Finally, the dependence of the total cross section on the target wavefunction is discussed, and it is argued that accurate results may require the inclusion of electron correlation effects in the target.