High-energy electron scattering study of molecular hydrogen

Energy-resolved electron scattering from H2 was measured using high-energy electrons. The 40-kV energy-unresolved data of Ketkar and Fink [Phys. Rev. Lett. 45, 1551 (1980)] were reanalyzed and combined with our 30-keV elastic measurements to calculate the inelastic cross section. Although the angular dependence of the cross section shows good agreement with recent quantum calculations over a large part of the angular region, some discrepancies remain at s∼4 a.u. in the elastic and inelastic cross section and around s∼2 a.u. in the total cross section. The elastic cross section at very small angles is compared with theoretical predictions and values derived from the magnetic susceptibility