Absolute differential cross sections for electron elastic scattering and vibrational excitation in nitrogen in the angular range from 120 deg. to 180 deg

Absolute differential cross sections for elastic electron scattering and vibrational (v=0→1) excitation in nitrogen have been measured in the range of scattering angle from 120 deg. to 180 deg. at an incident electron energy of 5 eV. The measurements have been carried out using the magnetic angle-changing technique that allows observation of scattering in the backward direction. These results, together with the existing experimental data for lower scattering angles, give differential cross sections over a wide angular range from close to zero to 180 deg. The importance of short- and long-range correlation (polarization) interactions for elastic electron scattering at forward and backward directions is discussed. (author). Letter-to-the-editor