On the elastic cross sections for low-energy e-CH₄ and e-SiH₄ scattering in a spherical model potential

The spherical approximate wavefunctions and electronic densities of CH₄ and SiH₄ are obtained using a spherical approximate molecular Hamiltonian, employing the numerical X_alpha method with the self-interaction correction. The spherical parameter-free model potentials for the interaction between the incident electron and the target molecules are generated from the electronic densities, and include the static potential, the Hara (1967) free-electron-gas exchange (HFEGE) potential and O'Connell and Lane's (1983) correlation-polarisation potential. Total, momentum transfer and differential cross sections are calculated via partial-wave analysis.