Scaling of plane-wave Born cross sections for electron-impact excitation of neutral atoms

Two methods to scale plane-wave Born cross sections for electron-impact excitations of neutral atoms are shown to produce excitation cross sections comparable in accuracy to those obtained by more sophisticated collision theories such as the convergent close-coupling method. These scaling methods are applicable to integrated cross sections for electric dipole-allowed transitions. Scaled cross sections are in excellent agreement with available theoretical and experimental data for excitations in H, He, Li, Be, Na, Mg, K, Ca, Rb, Sr, Cs, Ba, Hg, and Tl, indicating the possibility of rapid and reliable calculations of excitation cross sections for many other neutral atoms.