Low-energy positron scattering from atoms and molecules using positron accumulation techniques

Positron scattering from atoms and molecules is studied at low values of incident positron energy. The experiments use a cold magnetized positron beam formed in a positron accumulator. A discussion of positron scattering in a magnetic field is presented along with differential cross-sections (DCS) for positron-atom collisions and positron-molecule total vibrational excitation cross-sections. Absolute values of the DCS for elastic scattering from argon and krypton are measured at energies ranging from 0.4 to 2.0 eV. The first low-energy positron-molecule vibrational excitation cross-sections have been measured (i.e., for carbon tetrafluoride at energies ranging from 0.2 to 1 eV). Using information gained from these experiments a second generation scattering apparatus is described, which was designed and built specifically for scattering experiments using a magnetized positron beam. This apparatus has a number of improvements, including an order of magnitude higher throughput, better energy separation between elastic and inelastic scattering events, and improved measurement of the absolute pressure of the test-gases. Analysis techniques for the data taken in these experiments using a retarding potential energy analyzer and possible extensions of these experiments are also discussed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.