Z2 stopping power oscillations as derived from range measurements

Abstract Ranges of several light ions ( Z 1 ⩽7) in the energy regime of 50–1500 keV were measured in various target materials extending from Z 2 = 12 to Z 2 = 82. The ranges were measured by (n, p) or (n, α) spectrometry. The theoretical range profiles as obtained with the TRIM program were fitted to the experiments by variation of the usually unknown correction factor c k in the low energy electronic stopping power, S e = c k · k LS √ E , where k LS represents the Lindhard-Scharff constant. These empirically derived c k values show strong Z 2 oscillations which are compared - and found to be in close agreement - with the latest stopping power predictions of Ziegler. The lithium range profiles obtained by the 6 Li(n, α)t reaction provided a good opportunity to compare the tritium and alpha stopping powers. This had been evaluated for about fifteen different target materials and is again compared to the Ziegler electronic stopping powers.