The Effect of Form Factor Shape on the Nuclear Stopping Power of Calcium, Iron, Zirconium, and Lead Elements

Abstract

This paper examined the effect of the form factor of the nucleus and its type on the nuclear stopping power of Ca – 40, Fe – 56, Zr – 90, and Pb – 206 isotopes, respectively. The collision, radiative, and total electronic stopping power of these elements was also calculated. The results of the electronic stopping power showed that the collision part exceeds the radiative up to a specific energy that depends on the element’s atomic number, after which the electronic stopping power will prevail. As for the nuclear stopping power of electrons, the results indicated its great dependence on the form factor of the nucleus, but this dependence begins at a specific energy for each studied isotope and this energy changes with the isotope change. Also, the results did not show distinct significant differences between the different types of form factors, which are exponential, geometric, and uniform. On the whole, the results of the nuclear stopping power containing the exponential form factor are decreased by increasing the mass number of the isotopes. Finally, the behavior of the electronic and nuclear stopping powers as a function of the incident electron energy of the studied elements and isotopes behaved like what is expected and known.