On the elastic scattering of low-energy electrons by Hg, Tl, Pb and Bi atoms

The authors present a brief discussion of first-principle calculations on the elastic scattering of low-energy electrons by Hg, Tl, Pb and Bi atoms. The calculations were carried out within a generalised Kohn-Sham one-particle theory which accounts for relativistic effects. Recently published data by Kaussen et al. (1987) on the scattering-induced spin polarisation of the projectile show good agreement with their results and suggest spin-orbit coupling, rather than the so called 'fine-structure effect', to be the dominant mechanism in the process of polarisation. This is further substantiated by comparing their calculations for Tl targets with those of Bartschat et al. (1984) on spin polarisation at very low impact energies. As distinct from the latter authors, they do not allow for the fine-structure effect but nevertheless arrive at qualitatively the same results.