The confined variational method is employed to study low-energy electron collisions with a lithium atom, for energies below the $2p$ excitation threshold. The accuracy of the phase shifts has been markedly improved in our calculations. From these calculations, we obtain an electron affinity of 4985.6124 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{-1}$, in excellent agreement with experiment, validating the accuracy of the approach. A least-squares fit of the phase shifts to effective-range theory yields an $S$-wave scattering length of $A=3.02a_0$, where $a_0$ is the Bohr radius. These results provide a stringent benchmark for future theoretical and experimental investigations. In this study, the sum of all electron spins is considered to be zero.

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• Atomic & molecular collisions
• Atomic & molecular structure
• Atomic, optical & lattice clocks
• Electron & positron scattering
• Electronic structure of atoms & molecules
• Scattering theory