An accurate calculation of electron collision with atomic hydrogen at low energy

Abstract

The Harris-Nesbet variational method is used to carry out accurate calculations for electron collisions with hydrogen atoms at low energy below the first hydrogenic excitation threshold. Calculations are done with the employment of different coupling schemes which are composed of the atomic hydrogen states and pseudo states and a great number of correlation terms. Singlet and triplet phase shifts are obtained for the partial waves L=0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. Phase shifts at the nine energies, where experimental data of differential cross section are available, are obtained with the partial waves L equal to up to 18, and then used to deduce the elastic differential and total cross sections for electron collisions with hydrogen atoms at these energies. The results of the present Harris-Nesbet calculations are compared with those made available in literature by other research groups. The differential cross sections obtained are compared with experimental data, and an excellent agreement is found between the two.