Elastic and Inelastic Electron Scattering at 20 and 60 eV from Atomic Cu

Abstract

Normalized differential and integral electron-impact cross sections for elastic scattering and for the excitation of the ${}_{}{}^2{}_{}{}^{}D_{\frac{5}{2}}^{}{}_{}{}^{}$, ${}_{}{}^2{}_{}{}^{}D_{\frac{3}{2}}^{}{}_{}{}^{}$, and ${}_{}{}^2{}_{}{}^{}P_{\frac{3}{2},\frac{1}{2}}^{}{}_{}{}^{}$ levels of atomic copper have been determined at 20 and 60 eV. An unexpectedly large cross section was found for the excitation of the ${}_{}{}^2{}_{}{}^{}P_{\frac{3}{2},\frac{1}{2}}^{}{}_{}{}^{}$ levels, which at certain angular and energy ranges surpasses the cross section for elastic scattering. The integral cross sections in units of ${10}^{-16\mathrm{}}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^2$ are elastic, 91.0 and 59.0; ${}_{}{}^2{}_{}{}^{}D_{\frac{5}{2}}^{}{}_{}{}^{}$, 1.85 and 0.36; ${}_{}{}^2{}_{}{}^{}D_{\frac{3}{2}}^{}{}_{}{}^{}$, 1.26 and 0.26; ${}_{}{}^2{}_{}{}^{}P_{\frac{3}{2},\frac{1}{2}}^{}{}_{}{}^{}$, 77.2 and 36.5, at 20 and 60 eV, respectively.