Various total cross sections for collisions of electrons in the energy range 10–2000 eV are calculated for the tetrahedral ${\mathrm{CH}}_4,$ ${\mathrm{SiH}}_4,$ ${\mathrm{GeH}}_4,$ ${\mathrm{CF}}_4,$ ${\mathrm{SiF}}_4,$ and ${\mathrm{CCl}}_4$ targets and ${\mathrm{SF}}_6.$ Molecular total inelastic cross sections determined in the complex potential formalism are partitioned to account for the ionization and cumulative electronic-excitation channels. The present total cross sections and total ionization cross sections are found to be consistent with the previous data. The cumulative total excitation cross sections reported here indicate the relative importance of ionization together with electronic excitation channels including neutral dissociation of these molecules by electron impact.

• Received 18 August 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.69.022705