Low-energy electron scattering by oxygen molecules

The R-matrix method has been applied to study the scattering of electrons by molecular oxygen for a number of internuclear separations, R, including the equilibrium separation of Re ∼ 2.3 a0. Results have been obtained for 12 scattering symmetries for impact energies ranging from threshold to 1.0 Ryd. Summed cross sections for elastic scattering from the ground state, and the corresponding cross sections for transitions from the ground state to the a 1 Δg, b 1 Σg+ and the '6 eV' states of oxygen are presented and are compared with experimental data. Finally, the position and width of the resonance in the 2 Πg and 2Πu scattering symmetries are tabulated for values of R ranging from 1.85 to 2.90 a0. (Author)