https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2016-70100-3
Regular Article
Do positrons measure atomic and molecular diameters?*
1 Department of Theoretical Physics and Quantum Informatics, Faculty of Applied Physics and Mathematics, Gdansk University of Technology, ul. Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland
2 Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Grudziadzka 5/7, 87-100 Toruń, Poland
a
e-mail: kamil@fizyka.umk.pl
Received: 15 February 2016
Received in final form: 11 April 2016
Published online: 20 July 2016
We report on density functional calculations (DFT) of elastic integral scattering cross-sections for positron collisions with argon, krypton, nitrogen and methane. The long-range asymptotic polarization potential is described using higher-order terms going much beyond an induced dipole potential (−α/r4) while the short-range interaction is modeled by two different forms of electron – positron correlation potential (Boroński-Nieminen and Quantum Monte Carlo potentials). The results of both approaches agree quite well with the recent theoretical and measured values. Based on the present and previous theoretical and experimental data we discuss some systematics observed in integral scattering cross-sections below the positronium formation threshold. In particular we point out on the correlation between the values of scattering cross-sections and atomic dimensions.
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