ELASTIC E-NO COLLISIONS

In this paper we use the Schwinger multichannel method (SMC) to calcul ate several types of cross sections related to the elastic electron sc attering by NO. We show through the NO system that the elastic scatter ing of an electron by an open shell molecule is a much richer process than the corresponding scattering by closed shell targets. We present cross sections for unpolarized electron scattering by (oriented and no noriented) molecules, spin-dip cross sections (in the form of polariza tion fractions), and zero-energy electronic excitation cross sections (due to orbital degeneracy of the NO ground state). Our results agree well with published experimental values for elastic unpolarized data a s well as recent polarized electron-NO scattering. We also present a d etailed study of the dependence of the polarization fraction on molecu lar orientation. Our results also show a shape resonance which is also seen experimentally around 18 eV, and we suggest its symmetry.