Elastic scattering and electronic excitation in positron interactions with neon

We report measurements of low energy positron scattering from neon, with the first measurements of absolute differential cross sections (DCSs) and of state-selective electronic excitation. These measurements are compared to calculations using the relativistic optical potential (ROP) technique, as well as other recently published theoretical calculations. At the lowest energies, experimental DCS data are fitted to extract scattering phase shifts, which can be compared to theoretical values and also used to generate DCS values over the full angular range. For the most part we find good accord in the two descriptions of the scattering processes, with some key disagreements. An analysis of possible sources of systematic error has also been presented, in light of the discrepancies.