Relativistic and exchange effects in electron scattering from mercury

Abstract

Differential cross sections and spin polarizations for 35-500 eV electrons scattered from mercury have been calculated by the numerical solution of the relativistic Hartree-Fock equations, thus including the effect of exchange but ignoring distortion of the atom and correlation effects. At the upper end of the energy range the inclusion of exchange produces small but significant changes which bring the results into very good agreement with experiment. At lower energies some discrepancies appear, but even at 35 eV good qualitative agreement is obtained.