Role of negative ion resonances in electron scattering from atoms and molecules

Transient negative ions (resonances) formed during the collision of an electron with an atom or molecule have been extensively studied for over thirty years. The continued interest in these states, both experimentally and theoretically, stems from the profound effects that they can have on electron scattering cross sections and the role that electron–electron correlations play in their formation and quasi-stability. A selective discussion of examples of such resonances, involving one, two and three excited electrons is given for a wide range of atomic and molecular systems.