In this paper, we report on total electron tetrahydrofuran $\left({\text{C}}_4{\text{H}}_8\text{O}\right)$ scattering cross-section measurements for energies in the range from 50 to 5000 eV with experimental errors of about 5%. In addition, integral elastic and inelastic cross sections have been calculated over a broad energy range $\left(1–10000\text{eV}\right)$, with an optical potential method assuming a screening-corrected independent atom representation. Partial and total ionization cross sections have been also obtained by combining simultaneous electron and ion measurements with a time-of-flight analysis of the ionic induced fragmentation. Finally, an average energy distribution of secondary electrons has been derived from these measurements in order to provide data for modeling electron-induced damage in biomolecular systems.

• Received 16 September 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.80.052709