ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on measurements of total scattering, differential, integral and momentum transfer, and dissociative electron attachment cross sections for electron–molecule scattering, with some reasons for why knowledge of those cross sections is fundamentally important being given shortly. It describes techniques currently being used to measure absolute elastic cross sections and absolute discrete inelastic cross sections. For low-energy electron scattering the standard cross section that is normally used is that for electron–helium elastic scattering. A somewhat different approach to overcome the problems associated with determining the analyzer transmission function, for inelastic scattering measurements, is a time-of-flight approach developed by L. R. Le Clair et al. The principles and techniques for total electron scattering cross-section measurements have been well documented in the literature. A major experimental advance, in overcoming the finite acessible angular range of most crossed-beam apparatus, was made by the Manchester group.
