State-to-state differential and integral cross sections for vibrational-rotational excitation and elastic scattering of electrons by N2 at 5–50 eV: Calculations using extended-basis-set Hartree–Fock wave functions

We have calculated differential, integral, and momentum-transfer cross sections for vibrational-rotational excitation as well as for pure rotational excitation, pure vibrational excitation, and elastic scattering for electron collisions with N2 at 5–50 eV impact energy. Scattering calculations were carried out in the fixed-nuclei approximation and excitation cross sections obtained using the sudden approximation. The interaction potential used in these calculations consists of three terms: static and local-exchange potentials, calculated from extended-basis-set Hartree–Fock wave functions as functions of internuclear distance, and a semiempirical polarization potential. Two different local exchange potentials were employed. The results are compared to each other, to previous calculations, and to experiment.