Total cross section of elastic scattering of slow electrons with energies in the range of 0.025-1.0 eV on He,Ne,Ar,Kr,Xe atoms measured by the time-of-flight method

The results of an experimental study of the energy dependence of the electron elastic scattering cross section at the electron energy E=0.025-1.0 eV with a time-of-flight spectrometer are presented. The measurement methos is described which ensures high energy resolution and makes it possible. due to the less sensitivity with respect to random contact potential differences to expand the measurements into the low-energy range (E approximately 10-2 eV). An expression is obtained for the scattering cross section that takes into account additional scattering. It is mentioned that the main sources of errors in the determination of scattering cross section will be the errors in determination of a gas-target pressure, the length of the flight base and the statistical error of the counting number. The results obtained indicate that it is legitimate to extrapolate the experimental data to the zero energies