Electron-impact excitation and ionization cross sections for ground state and excited helium atoms

Comprehensive and critically assessed cross sections for the electron-impact excitation and ionization of ground state and excited helium atoms are presented. All states (atomic terms) with it <= 4 are treated individually, while the states with n >= 5 are considered degenerate. For the processes involving transitions to and from n >= 5 levels, suitable cross section scaling relations are presented. For a large number of transitions, from both ground and excited states, convergent close coupling calculations were performed to achieve a high accuracy of the data. The evaluated/recommended cross section data are presented by analytic fit functions, which preserve the correct asymptotic behavior of the cross sections. The cross sections are also displayed in graphical form. (c) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.