Electron-methane scattering via a parameter-free model interaction

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Abstract
Cross sections are calculated for the scattering of slow electrons by the methane molecule. A parameter-free treatment of the interaction is employed, whereby the static, exchange and polarisation contributions are obtained from an ab initio SCF wavefunction expanded over the heavy atom (OCE wavefunction), making use of the electron gas model for the (N+1)-electron system. Functional forms of exchange and polarisation interactions are examined and discussed in order to assess their relative reliability and importance over the whole range of computed collision energies. Except in the low-energy regions (E<2 eV) the present parameter-free model gives satisfactory qualitative agreement with recent measurements and other calculations. Excitation processes are also considered and rotationally inelastic differential cross sections at 10 eV compare favourably with recent measurements and other calculations.