Light element quantification by lithium elastic scattering

Abstract

Accurate differential cross sections have been measured at specific beam energies and angles to be used in a method proposed previously for the simultaneous quantification of light elements (Z<11) present in evaporated liquid biological samples. Targets containing 1H, 7Li, 12C, 16O, 19F, 28Si and 197Au have been bombarded with 13MeV 6Li3+ and 20MeV 16O5+ beams. The 16O+1H, 16O+12C, 16O+16O, 16O+19F, 16O+28Si and 16O+197Au cross sections, shown to be consistent with the Rutherford formula predictions at 15° and 20°, have been used to determine cross sections for the 6Li+1H, 6Li+12C, 6Li+16O, 6Li+19F, 6Li+28Si and 6Li+197Au scatterings respectively at 17.5°, 24°, 25°, 26°, 28° and 30°. Although 6Li+7Li cross sections have not been obtained from 16O+7 Li cross sections, they have been determined from measured 6Li+19F cross sections and, in addition, used to obtain 16O+7Li cross sections at 15° and 20°. The reliability of the new cross sections determined in this investigation for the 6Li+1H, 6Li+7Li and 6Li+19F scatterings is based on the Rutherford behavior of the measured 6Li+197Au scattering data as expected and the consistency observed between the 6Li+12C, 6Li+16O and 6Li+28Si cross sections obtained in this work and previously reported values. This research has important implications in applied physics.