Spin effects in inelastic electron-atom collisions

Recent progress of experimental investigations that show explicitly spin-dependent effects is reported for inelastic electron-atom scattering. In particular the combined effect of exchange scattering and target coupling is discussed in more detail. The experimental investigation of this ‘target-coupling effect’ is a powerful method to study the influence of exchange scattering directly. The experiments that are reviewed are basically target and electron spin-polarization measurements and the determination of the angular momentum state of the atom after scattering.