Spin-resolved elastic scattering of electrons from sodium below the inelastic threshold

A very stringent test of low-energy electron-atom collision theory is made in the most favorable energy regime for the close-coupling approximation. Data are presented as exchange asymmetries in angle-resolved elastic scattering of spin-polarized electrons from spin-polarized sodium atoms. Data are reported for two incident energies, 1.0 and 1.6 eV, both of which are below the first excited-state threshold. The angular range is 20--142.5^∘{}. The close-coupling approximation is found to give excellent agreement with experiment at both energies.