A Compilation of Electron-Molecule Scattering Cross Sections

The intention of this project is to attempt to update the critical review and cross section data compilation of Trajmar et al. [1] to account for measurements over the past 15 years. As in the original review the emphasis will be on both differential and integral cross section measurements at low to intermediate energies (meV-1000 eV) for elastic scattering, rotational, vibrational and electronic excitation. These cross sections are of relevance in applied areas as divergent as plasma deposition and etching of semiconductors, gaseous high voltage switches and electrostatic precipitators for the processing of atmospheric pollutants. The active constituents in each of these devices are typically polyatomic molecules and as such there has been a marked increase in both experimental and theoretical studies for these complicated targets. We will also attempt to discuss in a critical fashion the comparison between the various experimental results and between the experimental and theoretical cross sections. However it is beyond the extent of this article, and the expertise of the authors, to offer a detailed critique of the many theoretical approaches. We shall give a brief discussion of experimental techniques with particular emphasis on new developments in the measurement of absolute scattering cross sections since Trajmar et al. [1] Finally we note that whilst temporary negative ion resonances are often of great importance in low energy electron-molecule scattering the treatment of resonance dynamics is beyond the scope of this project and we will only discuss them in the context of cross section enhancement.