Total electron scattering and ionization of N, N(2) and metastable excited N()(2)[MathML equation]: Theoretical cross sections

This Letter reports calculations on electron scattering cross sections for atomic and molecular nitrogen in the respective ground state, together with excited nitrogen molecules in their metastable state [MathML equation]. The formalism of Complex Scattering Potential - ionization contribution developed by the authors earlier, is employed first to the well-known target N(2), the most abundant species in Earth's atmosphere. While there are a few electron impact studies on atomic N, there are hardly any investigations on the metastable species N(*)(2). We report various total cross sections including those of elastic scattering and ionization by electron impact on these targets, at energies E(i) from ionization threshold to 2000 eV. New results on total (complete) cross sections for atomic N and various cross sections for metastable N(*)(2) are presented and compared. Our results are in accord with various experimental data on the most studied target N(2). Comparisons are made with the available results on atomic N. The present theoretical results are interpreted in terms of the target properties.