Rotational excitation of N2 by electron impact: 1-4 eV

Rotational and rotational-vibrational (v = 0 → 1) excitation in N2 have been studied with a crossed-beam electron-impact apparatus. In the energy range 1-4 eV, the elastic and vibrational energy-loss peaks show large rotational broadening compared with the apparatus profile (full width at half-maximum, 18 meV). The branching ratios for rotational transitions with Δj = 0, +- 2, +- 4 are obtained with a line-shape analysis applied to the energy-loss profiles. The results for rotational-vibrational excitation at 2.27 eV and scattering angles 30-900 are in good agreement with the calculations using the resonant dπ waves and the rotational impulse approximation. The corresponding results for pure rotational excitation show that the branches with Δj = +- 2 and +- 4 are predominantly excited via resonances, while the branch with Δj = 0 contains a large contribution from direct scattering. The absolute rotational cross sections for Δj = +- 4 are measured; they exhibit a large magnitude (10-16 cm2) and peak and valley structures in the 1-4 eV range, reminiscent of well-known resonant vibrational excitation. The energy dependence and the absolute magnitude of the rotational cross sections for Δj = +- 4 can be understood in terms of a ''boomerang'' calculation. A comparison of the experiment with the relevant theoretical calculations is made