Peculiarities in charge symmetry of energy loss in ion-atom collisions

Abstract

Systematic experimental studies on energy loss (−dE/dx) were performed for ions with nuclear charge Z = 2–18 in various gases. The energy range ∼0.001 to ∼1 MeV/amu was considered. Detailed analysis confirmed the oscillating character of the energy loss dependence on the ionic nuclear charge associated with the ions’ electron shell structure. The symmetry of the energy loss dependence on the nuclear charges of projectile Z and target Zt is examined.