Light element quantification by lithium elastic scattering

Abstract Accurate differential cross sections have been measured at specific beam energies and angles to be used in a method proposed previously for the simultaneous quantification of light elements ( Z 11 ) present in evaporated liquid biological samples. Targets containing 1 H, 7 Li, 12 C, 16 O, 19 F, 28 Si and 197 Au have been bombarded with 13 MeV 6 Li 3+ and 20 MeV 16 O 5+ beams. The 16 O +  1 H, 16 O +  12 C, 16 O +  16 O, 16 O +  19 F, 16 O +  28 Si and 16 O +  197 Au cross sections, shown to be consistent with the Rutherford formula predictions at 15° and 20°, have been used to determine cross sections for the 6 Li +  1 H, 6 Li +  12 C, 6 Li +  16 O, 6 Li +  19 F, 6 Li +  28 Si and 6 Li +  197 Au scatterings respectively at 17.5°, 24°, 25°, 26°, 28° and 30°. Although 6 Li +  7 Li cross sections have not been obtained from 16 O +  7 Li cross sections, they have been determined from measured 6 Li +  19 F cross sections and, in addition, used to obtain 16 O +  7 Li cross sections at 15° and 20°. The reliability of the new cross sections determined in this investigation for the 6 Li +  1 H, 6 Li +  7 Li and 6 Li +  19 F scatterings is based on the Rutherford behavior of the measured 6 Li +  197 Au scattering data as expected and the consistency observed between the 6 Li +  12 C, 6 Li +  16 O and 6 Li +  28 Si cross sections obtained in this work and previously reported values. This research has important implications in applied physics.