Energy Loss of Charged Particles

Abstract

When a fast charged particle penetrates into a material, it loses its energy, mainly in exciting and ionizing the target electrons and in transferring momentum to target nuclei during collisions. Energy loss and scattering have been an important source of information on the constitution of atoms. Theoretical and experimental work on this subject has been going on constantly since the beginning of this century. In the early stages, information on energy loss was needed mainly for applications to nuclear physics—in the study of nuclear reactions, the depth to which fission fragments penetrate, and radiation health physics. Recently the application of ion beams to materials, for example in ion implantation, ion backscattering analysis, and ion sputtering, has provided additional motivation to the study of energy loss of charged particles and related subjects. Since material characterization by use of ion beams is the concern of this NATO Advanced Study Institute, it is necessary to include the subject of energy loss to support the other lectures.