Molecular structure effects inthe energy loss of swift boron molecular ions in solids

Abstract

We analyse the effects on the stopping power due to the geometricalstructure of swift Bn+ (n = 2-6) ions incident on amorphouscarbon targets. We use the dielectric formalism to describe boththe interaction of the projectile with the stopping medium and thevicinage effects on the atomic ions resulting from thedissociation of each Bn+ ion. The variation of the energy losswith the temporal evolution of the relative positions of the atomicions, due to Coulomb explosion, has also been taken into account.The calculated stopping power ratio for each Bn+ ion reproducesfairly well the main trends, as a function of the dwell time,observed in the available experimental data. The differences among thestopping power ratios of the Bn+ ions disappear as the number ofatomic ions, n, increases.