EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY OF EFFECTIVE INTER-ATOMIC POTENTIALS

Total differential scattering cross sections for ion-atom collisions are measured and compared with predictions from various interatomic potentials. Ions with atomic numbers 6Z154 and energies 2.5-400 keV are scattered by xenon through 1-6°. For closest separations, 1.5a0, the scattering behaves nearly elastically with universal scaling properties, and individual statistical potentials give successful predictions including peak structures. For larger separations a strong Z1 dependence appears and statistical potentials fail. © 1979 The American Physical Society.