Deconvolution of differential cross sections obtained from molecular beam experiments

Abstract

A method is given for the deconvolution of measured differential cross sections to yield the correct center‐of‐mass cross sections, free of laboratory averaging. An input showing well‐resolved oscillations, as observed in diffraction scattering of light atoms, is assumed. Both velocity and angular experimental averaging are allowed for. To deconvolute energy‐fixed data a ’’scaling law’’ for the differential cross section is used. A method for the extraction of a sufficiently accurate scaling relation from experiment is described. Several numerical illustrations of the scheme are given, including the deconvolution of the elastic cross section for the Ne+D₂ system.