Differential and total cross sections for the elastic scattering of 1--1000-eV electrons from silicon using the optical model

Differential and total cross sections for the elastic scattering of electrons from gound-state silicon atoms have been calculated using the optical model. The optical potential includes the static potential, and the effects of exchange and polarization. The results are compared with the first Born approximation and screened Rutherford differential cross sections which are often used in electron Monte Carlo transport codes. It is found that the screened Rutherford differential cross sections differ considerably from the optical model calculations for the entire energy range considered. The first Born differential cross sections merge with the optical model results at about 500 eV