X-Ray Compton Profiles of Benzene, Cyclohexane, and Oriented Polyethylene

The Compton profiles of liquid benzene, liquid cyclohexane, and oriented polyethylene were measured with $\mathrm{Mo}\mathrm{K\alpha }$ x rays. The electron momentum distributions in all cases are considerably more extended in momentum space than those (a) calculated from the Coulson and Duncanson type of hybrid orbitals or (b) measured with the angular correlation of positron–electron annihilation radiation. In addition, a high momentum “tail” is observed in the Compton profile suggestive of electron–electron correlation. The measured anisotropy in the electron momentum density of oriented polyethylene is small.