Scattering of N2O on electron impact over an extensive energy range (0.1 eV-2000 eV)

We report electron impact total cross sections, Q(T), for e-N2O scattering over an extensive range of impact energies approximately from 0.1 eV to 2000 eV. We employ an ab initio calculation using R-matrix formalism below the ionization threshold of the target and above it we use the well established spherical complex optical potential to compute the cross sections. Total cross section is obtained as a sum of total elastic and total electronic excitation cross sections below the ionization threshold and above the ionization threshold as a sum of total elastic and total inelastic cross sections. Ample cross section data for e-N2O scattering are available at low impact energies and hence meaningful comparisons are made. Good agreement is observed with the available theoretical as well as experimental results over the entire energy range studied here. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4745848]