Scattering from Diatomic Molecules in the Spheroidal Convergent Close-Coupling Formalism

Abstract

This thesis details the development of the Convergent Close-Coupling (CCC) theory for electron and positron scattering on diatomic molecules. Both spherical and spheroidal formalisms are presented and compared, with the spheroidal proving to be more accurate, efficient, and capable at modelling vibrational processes unique to molecules. Within the adiabatic-nuclei approximation, the spheroidal formalism is used to calculate total, ionisation, electronic and vibrational excitation, and elastic differential cross sections for electron scattering on H2.