Total elastic cross section for electron scattering from SF₆

Absolute differential cross sections for elastic scattering of electrons from SF₆ have been measured at 11 energies between 2.7 and 75 eV for scattering angles between 10 and 180°. The differential measurements use, for the first time, the magnetic angle-changing technique of Read and Channing in combination with the relative flow technique to obtain absolute elastic scattering cross sections at backward angles. These cross sections have been extrapolated in the forward direction to enable the integral elastic cross section to be calculated. The cross section derived from this process is in excellent agreement with that proposed recently by Christophorou et al and supports their hypothesis that several of the earlier measurements underestimate the integral elastic cross section between 5 and 75 eV.