Integral cross sections for electron-impact excitation of the 3³S and 3¹S states of He near threshold

A joint experimental and theoretical study of near-threshold electron-impact excitation of the 33S and 31S states in helium is reported. A high-resolution electron spectrometer is used to study integral cross sections in the energy region of the n = 3 − 5 negative-ion resonances. Photons are detected from the decay of the two states and the observed intensities are normalized to theoretical predictions using a new B-spline R-matrix (close-coupling) method that allows for non-orthogonal orbitals to improve the target description. Remarkable agreement between experiment and theory is demonstrated in both the overall energy dependence of the cross section and the fine details of a wealth of resonance structures. A detailed list of the resonances in the individual partial waves, along with their widths, is presented.