Absolute differential cross sections for the scattering of kilo-electron-volt O atoms

This paper reports measurements of absolute differential cross sections for the direct scattering of oxygen atoms by He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$, ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$, ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$, CO, ${\mathrm{CO}}_{2}$, ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O, ${\mathrm{SO}}_{2}$, ${\mathrm{NH}}_{3}$, ${\mathrm{CH}}_{4}$, ${\mathrm{CF}}_{4}$, and ${\mathrm{SF}}_{6}$ targets. The measured cross sections include contributions from all elastic and inelastic processes that result in a fast neutral oxygen atom product. Cross sections are presented for 0.5- and 1.5-keV projectile energies over the laboratory angular range 0.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}--5\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}. When compared in the center-of-mass reference frame, these cross sections exhibit a high degree of similarity in both amplitude and angular dependence. The cross sections for ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$, CO, ${\mathrm{CO}}_{2}$, and ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O are inverted using a partial-wave analysis to yield empirical interaction potentials, which can then be used to extrapolate the measurements down to lower energies. Using these potentials, cross sections are evaluated at 0.1 keV. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.