Electron impact excitation of the sodium 3²S-3²P transition

A high-resolution electron spectrometer is used to measure the angular dependence ( theta =0-20 deg) of scattered electrons which have excited the 3²P state of atomic sodium for incident electron energies of 54.4, 100, 150 and 250 eV. The results are expressed as absolute differential cross sections and generalized oscillator strengths. Comparisons are made with the results of calculations in which Born, distorted-wave polarized-orbital and Glauber approximations have been applied.