On the Applicability of the Universal Lindhard Function for Describing the Scattering Cross Sections of Atomic Particles

Abstract

It is shown that the application of the universal Lindhard function for calculating the scattering cross section of atomic particles is, as a rule, limited to the region of scattering angles less than 20°. The results obtained for various popular interaction potentials are compared with the available experimental data. It is shown that the presence of inelastic channels in scattering leads to the appearance of additional maxima in the scattering cross section. Recommendations are given on the use of the universal Lindhard function to describe quasi-elastic scattering in the region η = εsin(θ/2) > 0.01, ε is the reduced impact energy, θ is the scattering angle. At high energies, the scattering is well described by screened Coulomb potentials, and the application of the Lindhard function provides an accuracy of 10% for calculating the scattering cross sections.