Absolute total cross sections for electron scattering from He and Ne are obtained in the energy range from 20 eV down to below 10 meV with a very narrow electron energy width of 6–8 meV using the threshold-photoelectron source. Total cross sections obtained in the present study generally agree well with those obtained in the previous experiments for both He and Ne above 100 meV, where several experimental works have been reported. Comparison of the present cross sections with the theoretical cross sections which have been regarded as the “standard” cross sections shows very good agreement even at very low energies below 10 meV, which confirms the validity of theoretical cross sections. The scattering lengths for electron scattering from He and Ne are also determined from the present total cross sections using the modified effective range theory. The resonant structures in the total cross sections due to Feshbach resonances of He and Ne are also observed. Analysis of the resonant structure was carried out based on the spin-dependent resonant scattering theory in order to determine the values of natural width of Feshbach resonance of Ne.

• Received 21 January 2014

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.89.022709