Differential cross sections for excitation of H2 by low-energy electron impact

Experimental and theoretical differential cross sections (DCS) for the electron-impact excitation of molecular hydrogen to the B 1 u + , c 3 u , a 3 g + , C 1 u , and the E ( F ) 1 g + states are presented at incident energies near to threshold. The experimental DCSs were taken at incident energies of 14, 15, 16 and 17.5 eV and for scattering angles from 10° to 130°. The theoretical DCSs are from the convergent close-coupling method which has recently successfully modeled differential electron scattering from H2 when compared with available experiment at energies of 17.5 eV and above.