Absolute elastic differential cross-sections for electron scattering by N2O at 1.5-100 eV

Absolute differential cross-sections (DCS) for elastic electron scattering by N2O have been measured by a crossed-beam experiment with impact energies ranging from 1.5 to 100 eV and angles between 20 degrees and 130 degrees; DCS below 5 eV have been observed. A clear p-wave structure is observed for the first time in the DCS at 2.2 eV where a narrow intense shape resonance has been reported. A continuum multiple scattering (CMS) calculation has also been carried out. The CMS results and the reported theoretical DCS show much larger deviations near 5 eV than those at 2.2 eV from the present experimental values, indicating that an approximation of higher quality is needed to account for the DCS in the non-resonant region. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.