Electron scattering cross section data for tungsten and beryllium atoms from 0.1 to 5000 eV

Abstract

Tungsten (W) and tungsten-based materials have been widely recognized for their distinctive and suitable thermophysical properties well attuned to fusion applications [1, 2]. However, electron scattering data for these materials are scarce. In this study, we report integral cross sections (ICS) for electron interactions with tungsten and beryllium atoms in the incident electron energy range from 0.1 up to 5000 eV. The calculated cross sections are obtained for electron–atom scattering processes represented by a complex potential. For tungsten, ionization cross sections are discussed in the electron energy region from threshold up to 5000 eV against the available data from the Deutsch–Märk (DM) formalism [3] and a semi-empirical complex scattering potential [4]. Although a reasonable agreement for the ionization cross sections has been found in the overlapping energy region, inconsistencies on the integral inelastic cross sections from the previous semi-empirical approach based on a complex scattering potential ionization contribution [4], are now amended and comprehensively explained. For beryllium atoms an excellent agreement with previous “state-of-the-art” scattering theory calculations [5] has been found for the integral elastic cross sections. However, the partial contribution of the excitation and ionization channels to the inelastic part shows serious discrepancies which deserve further investigations. Calculated elastic differential cross sections (DCSs) for tungsten are also reported from 0.1 to 5000 eV for scattering angles from 0 to 180. The present set of cross sectional data may be of relevance for the plasma fusion community