Inelastic electron scattering by laser-excited atoms

The results of a combined experimental and theoretical study of elastic electron scattering by laser-excited atoms are presented. From these studies, we extracted differential scattering cross sections and parameters for elastic scattering both by coherently prepared Ba atoms and by Ba atoms in an isotropic, incoherent state of the level. This is the first time that results of this type have been reported for elastic scattering by excited atoms. Good agreement was found between the limited experimental results and those obtained from our convergent close-coupling (CCC) theoretical calculations. It was demonstrated that elastic scattering can create alignment with significant probability.