Differential cross sections for elastic scattering and positronium formation for positron collisions with Ne,Ar, Kr and Xe

Differential cross sections for elastic scattering and Ps(1s) formation are calculated in the truncated coupled-static (TCS) approximation. Comparison is made with the elastic scattering measurements of Dou et al. on Ar and Kr. There is no support from the TCS approximation for the view that structure seen in the experimental results for Ar in the energy range 55–60 eV may be due to a resonance associated with coupling to the positronium formation channel. Rather, we believe that Dou et al. are right in correlating this feature with the maximum in the ionization cross section. In the experiment on Kr structures are observed at 25 and 200 eV. It is tentatively suggested that the structure at 200 eV may be the resonance seen in the TCS calculation at 100 eV, but modified by polarization and absorption effects. It is also suggested that the feature at 25 eV could be associated with coupling to excited states of positronium. The TCS results for the Xe target predict some very pronounced behaviour which would be worth experimental investigation. TCS differential cross sections for Ps(1s) formation by capture of an electron from the outer p-shell of the atom are presented for impact energies up to 75 eV. A noticeable property of these cross sections is that they do not usually peak at the forward direction; this is consistent with an experimental observation by Laricchia et al. on He and Ar targets. The importance of also looking at electron capture from inner shells is emphasized and illustrated by the cross section for electron capture from the 3s shell of Ar.