A theoretical relation between the electron scattering length and the van der Waals approximation to the equation of state is described. The theory provides a simple calculation for the scattering length of neutral atomic scatterers such as rare gases, using two experimental parameters: the hard-core radius (calculated from the van der Waals equation of state, using critical data) and the atomic polarizability. The results for the calculated electron scattering length agree with measured values derived either from the energy shifts of highly excited molecular Rydberg states, perturbed by He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe, or from swarm electron cross-section data for the same gases.

• Received 5 April 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.49.348