  High-resolution measurements of angular scattering distributions provide a
sensitive test for theoretical descriptions of collision processes. Crossed
beam experiments employing a decelerator and velocity map imaging have proven
successful to probe collision cross sections with extraordinary resolution.
However, a prerequisite to exploit these possibilities is the availability of a
near-threshold state-selective ionization scheme to detect the collision
products, which for many species is either absent or inefficient. We present
the first implementation of recoil-free vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) based
detection in scattering experiments involving a decelerator and velocity map
imaging. This allowed for high-resolution measurements of state-resolved
angular scattering distributions for inelastic collisions between
Zeeman-decelerated carbon C($^3P_1$) atoms and helium atoms. We fully resolved
diffraction oscillations in the angular distributions, which showed excellent
agreement with the distributions predicted by quantum scattering calculations.
Our approach offers exciting prospects to investigate a large range of
scattering processes with unprecedented precision.
