Recent progress in low-energy electron elastic-collisions with multi-electron atoms and fullerene molecules

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent advances in analyzing low-energy electron elastic collisions with complex atoms and molecules using Regge pole analysis, highlighting its sensitivity to electronic structures and validating experimental findings on actinide elements.

Contribution

It demonstrates the application of Regge pole analysis to complex multi-electron systems and validates recent experimental observations of californium as a transitional actinide.

Findings

Regge pole analysis accurately predicts Ramsauer-Townsend minima and shape resonances.

Sensitivity of resonances to electronic structure enables validation of actinide properties.

First-time use of this method to confirm californium's position in the actinide series.

Abstract

We briefly review recent applications of the Regge pole analysis to low-energy E less than/equal to 10.0 eV electron elastic collisions with large multi-electron atoms and fullerene molecules. We then conclude with a demonstration of the sensitivity of the Regge pole-calculated Ramsauer-Townsend minima and shape resonances to the electronic structure and dynamics of the Bk and Cf actinide atoms, and their first time ever use as novel and rigorous validation of the recent experimental observation that identified Cf as a transitional element in the actinide series (A. M\"uller, et al., Nat. Commun. 12, 948 (2021))