Energy loss by MeV carbon clusters and fullerene ions in solids

Abstract Energy losses by carbon clusters C p ( p ≤ 8) and fullerene ions C 60 in thin carbon foils have been measured in the energy range from 0.3 to 5.65 MeV/atom. A small enhancement in energy loss is obtained for carbon atoms in the clusters relative to single carbon ions at the same velocity. Very large pulse height defects have been observed in the energy response of a silicon detector bombarded by C 60 ions with energies ranging from 6 to 30 MeV.