High-resolution measurements of positron interactions with Ne and Ar are presented, as well as theoretical treatments. The data extend over a range of 0.3 to 60 eV and comprise measurements of the grand total, positonium formation, and grand total minus positronium formation cross sections. Theoretical treatments of scattering from Ne and Ar are performed under the relativistic optical potential approach, as well as calculations using the convergent close-coupling method. Comparisons of the present measurements and theories are made with previous theoretical and experimental work.

Measurements of total scattering by positron impact have typically excluded a significant portion of the forward scattering angles of the differential cross section. This paper demonstrates the effect that this can have on measurements of the total cross section. We show that much of the apparent disagreement between experimental measurements of positron scattering from atoms and molecules may be explained by this excluded angular range. It is shown that this same effect may also lead to an anomalous energy dependence of some cross sections.

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An instrument has been designed and constructed to provide new insights into fundamental, low energy positron scattering processes. The design is based on the Surko trap system and produces a pulsed positron beam with an energy resolution of as good as 54 meV. The design and operation of the apparatus is explained, while the first experimental results from this apparatus have been demonstrated in recent publications.

Energy-resolved studies of positron-molecule collisions exhibit vibrational Feshbach resonances in annihilation, thus providing evidence that positrons can bind to these species. The downshifts of the observed resonances from the positions of the vibrational modes provides a measure of the positron-molecule binding energies, which range from 1 to 300 meV. Reported here are annihilation spectra and binding energies for a wider range of chemical species than studied previously, including aldehydes, ketones, formates, acetates, and nitriles. While the measured binding energies show an approximate correlation with molecular dipole polarizability and permanent dipole moment, other effects are important for dipole moments 2.0 D. For these compounds, it appears that localization of the positron wave function near a portion of the molecule leads to enhanced binding and an increased dependence on both the molecular dipole moment and the electron-positron correlations. The relationship of these results to theoretical calculations is discussed.