Resonance effects in inelastic scattering of low-energy electrons from metallic clusters

A theoretical study of the inelastic scattering of low-energy electrons fro m metallic clusters is presented. We calculate the total inelastic electron scattering cross section using the standard jellium model and the methods of quantum many-body theory. Many-electron correlations for collective exci tations of the cluster target are taken into account within the random-phas e approximation with exchange (RPAE). The polarization interaction between the projectile and the cluster electronic system is described using the Dys on equation. We report resonance maxima in the energy dependence of the tot al inelastic cross section in the energy region above the surface plasmon f requency. This resonance effect is connected with the process of electron c apture to quasi-discrete levels localized in the held of the target cluster and simultaneous excitation of the surface plasmon. This process can expla in experimentally observed resonance behaviour of the electron attachment c ross section in the projectile energy range epsilon < 5 eV. We present a de tailed comparison with experimental data.