INELASTIC-SCATTERING OF ELECTRONS BY LITHIUM ATOMS

Zero-angle energy-loss spectra for lithium have been obtained for incident electron energies from 15 to 190 eV. These have been analysed to give generalised oscillator strengths and zero-angle differential cross sections for transitions from the 22S ground state to the 22P, 3 2S, 32P, 32D, 42S and 4 2P+42D+42F (unresolved) excited states. The quadrupole transition probability for the 22S-32D transition was found to be 475+or-45 s-1. The Racah reduced matrix element (22S//r2//n2S) was found to be 29.5+or-1.0 au for the 22S-32S transition and 9.2+or-2.6 au for the 22S-42S transition.