DIFFRACTION ELECTRON-ATOM SCATTERING IN AN INTENSE LOW-FREQUENCY LASER FIELD

An explanation of discrepancies between predictions of the Kroll-Watso n theory and cross sections measured in the Wallbank-Holmes experiment s on electron-atom scattering in the presence of a powerful low-freque ncy laser field is presented. Our model calculations for helium and ar gon as target atoms come out to be in good agreement with experimental results; i.e., obtained cross sections are by many orders of magnitud e larger than those predicted by the Kroll-Watson theory. A mechanism responsible for such a substantial increase of the calculated cross se ctions is found to be due to the diffraction scattering of electrons b y atomic obstacles. [S1050-2947(97)50912-7].