Statistics Of Charged Particle Penetration

Drawing on the author’s forty-plus years of experience as a researcher in the interaction of charged particles with matter, this book emphasizes the theoretical description of fundamental phenomena. Special attention is given to classic topics such as Rutherford scattering; the theory of particle stopping; the statistical description of energy loss and multiple scattering and numerous more recent developments.

Drawing on the author’s forty-plus years of experience as a researcher in the interaction of charged particles with matter, this book emphasizes the theoretical description of fundamental phenomena. Special attention is given to classic topics such as Rutherford scattering; the theory of particle stopping; the statistical description of energy loss and multiple scattering and numerous more recent developments.

Drawing on the author’s forty-plus years of experience as a researcher in the interaction of charged particles with matter, this book emphasizes the theoretical description of fundamental phenomena. Special attention is given to classic topics such as Rutherford scattering; the theory of particle stopping; the statistical description of energy loss and multiple scattering and numerous more recent developments.

This book represents volume 2 of a 3-volume monograph on Particle Penetration and Radiation Effects. While volume 1 addressed the basic theory of scattering and stopping of swift point charges, i.e., protons, antiprotons and alpha particles, the present volume focuses on ions heavier than helium as well as molecules and clusters over an energy range from a few keV/u to a few hundred MeV/u. The book addresses the foundations in atomic-collision physics of a wide variety of application areas within materials and surface science and engineering, micro and nano science and technology, radiation medicine and biology as well as nuclear and particle physics. Problems have been added to all chapters. This should make the book useful for both self-study and advanced university courses. An effort has been made to establish a unified notation throughout the monograph.

Early in 1989, while most of us were gathered in the Mediterranean five-centuries-old city of Alacant, the idea of a school on stopping and particle penetration phenomena came to our minds. Later that year when discussing this plan with some of the participants in the 13th International Conference on Atomic Collisions in Solids in Aarhus, we were pleased to note that the proposal was warmly welcomed indeed by the community. An Advanced Study Institute on this or a related subject had not been organized in the last decade. Because of the progress made particularly in the interaction of high energy beams with matter, and the many applications which the general subject of the stopping of charged particles (ions and electrons) in matter enjoys, a Study Institute appeared a worthy enterprise. Even though several international conference series cover developments in these areas, they miss tutorial introductions to the field. The title chosen was Interaction of Charged Particles with Solids and Surfaces, and the objectives were stated as follows: "to cover theory and experiments, including selected applications and hot topics, of the stopping of charged particles (ions and electrons) in matter. The emphasis will be on outlining the areas where further effort is needed, and on specifying the basic needs in applications. Fundamental concepts will prevail over applications, and the character of the Institute as a school will be stressed. " The school was directed by Fernando Flores (Spain), Herbert M. Urbassek (Germany), Nestor R.

Bohr's first acquaintance with the subject of penetration of charged particles through matter was as early as in 1912 when he treated the absorption of &agr; and &bgr; rays on the basis of Rutherford's atomic model. From then on he kept a lifelong interest in the subject, often using it as an important test of the methods of atomic mechanics. His last paper on penetration, written together with Jens Lindhard, dealt with electron capture and loss and was published in 1954. Part I of this volume follows Bohr's work on penetration theory based on classical mechanics. Part II deals with the general theory of penetration, taking quantum-mechanical considerations into account.