Refraction of the beam of charged particles during inclined transmission through a thin target

Abstract The value of the most probable exit angle of particles θ mp transmitted through thin targets at inclined incidence of the beam is investigated both analytically and experimentally. A simple formula for θ mp is derived as a function of ion energy, beam and target parameters. It is shown that the value of the most probable exit angle for fixed energy of projectiles can be both greater and lesser than the angle of incidence. For particles with high energy, it is shown that the magnitude of such a “refraction” depends on target thickness deviation, the atomic number of the target and is more pronounced for targets with large atomic numbers Z . The measurements of 10 keV protons transmission through thin carbon foil fitted the theoretical predictions well.