Diffraction electron-atom scattering in an intense low-frequency laser field

An explanation of discrepancies between predictions of the Kroll-Watson theory and cross sections measured in the Wallbank-Holmes experiments on electron-atom scattering in the presence of a powerful low-frequency laser field is presented. Our model calculations for helium and argon as target atoms come out to be in good agreement with experimental results; i.e., obtained cross sections are by many orders of magnitude larger than those predicted by the Kroll-Watson theory. A mechanism responsible for such a substantial increase of the calculated cross sections is found to be due to the diffraction scattering of electrons by atomic obstacles. [S1050-2947(97)50912-7].