Scattering, Charge Density Measurements, and Binding Effects

Ineiastic Scattering, Charge Density Measurements, and Binding Effects.—In 

The results for scattering by atoms are conveniently expressed by the electron density function p(r) and the electron-pair correlation function pXr). Using Dirac s 8 function, p may be written as a sum over all the electrons in the atom 

equation (II)], the more usual expression for 7tot(f) may be obtained by adding and subtracting P in equation (53). 

The distribution function Diy) for an atom may thus be determined from electron-diffraction data. This was done for argon by Bartell and Brockway in 1953. Bartell and Gavin i pointed out that the inelastic part of the scattering should be sensitive to electron correlation [cf. equation (56)]. Thus it is possible to obtain the electron-pair correlation function, P r), experimentally in favourable cases. The theory was first applied to two-electron systems later the same authors estimated the effect of electron correlation on the total intensity scattered by beryllium.  

More recent calculations with wavefunctions which include correlation have been published for neon - and for other light atoms and ions. The results for neon were in satisfactory agreement with experimental results by Fink and Bonham.  

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