The repulsive part of the potential between Hg atoms and light atomic projectiles

Interatomic potentials are studied by means of a crossed beam apparatus consisting of a target chamber in which a monoenergetic beam of H, He, B, and N ions of energies E < 70 keV interacts with a thermal beam of Hg atoms. Angular distributions for the scattering of all charge states of 1 H, 4 He, 11 B, and 14 N are measured in the range of 17° < θ L < 60°. All measured cross sections are in good agreement with the theory for scattering in a Thomas–Fermi potential to which Lindhard's theoretical estimates are shown to be quite accurate approximations. A Padé approximant is derived for the Thomas–Fermi potential and is used to calculate tables of Thomas–Fermi scattering parameters.