Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2025

Publication Title

Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics

Keywords

twisted electron, elastic scattering, distorted-wave

Abstract

The elastic scattering of spinless vortex electrons on realistic target atoms has been investigated. In particular, expressions are derived in different approximations for the angular distribution of elastically scattered electrons. We develop a distorted wave formalism that includes the effect of the atomic potential on the impinging vortex electron and compare this to a plane-wave Born approximation (PWBA) without such a distortion. Detailed computations have been performed for elastic scattering of vortex electrons on helium, neon, and argon targets by varying the energy, topological charge, and opening angle. Our results show that the overall magnitude of the angular distribution of scattered electrons increases when the distortion by the bound-state electrons is taken into account. We also show that under certain conditions, such as high-Z targets or projectiles with low values of topological charge, significant differences in electron angular distribution shape and magnitude are observed between the distorted-wave and plane-wave Born models. Thus, the PWBA must be used with caution when describing vortex electron collisions.

Funding Source

This research was supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. PHY-2207209. This article was published Open Access thanks to a transformative agreement between Milner Library and IOP.

DOI

10.1088/1361-6455/add1a0

Comments

First published in Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics (2025): https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6455/add1a0

Supplemental data available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.27969354.

Original content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.

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