Differential electron-Cu5+ elastic scattering cross sections extracted from electron emission in ion-atom collisions

We present a method of deriving energy and angle-dependent electron-ion elastic scattering cross sections from doubly differential cross sections for electron emission in ion-atom collisions. By analyzing the laboratory frame binary encounter electron production cross sections in energetic ion-atom collisions, we derive projectile frame differential cross sections for electrons elastically scattered from highly charged projectile ions in the range between 60 degree and 180 degree. The elastic scattering cross sections are observed to deviate strongly from the Rutherford cross sections for electron scattering from bare nuclei. They exhibit strong Ramsauer-Townsend electron diffraction in the angular distribution of elastically scattered electrons, providing evidence for the strong role of screening played in the collision. Experimental data are compared with partial-wave calculations using the Hartree-Fock model. copyright 1999 The American Physical Society