Abstract
The scattering of a beam of particles undergoing charge transfer collisions in a gas target has been examined with emphasis on the factors relevant to the design of a source of focused high‐velocity (20–40 kev) neutral particles. Incident particles of helium, neon, and argon were used with targets of hydrogen, helium, neon, and argon gas over an energy range of 20 to 40 kev. An equation giving the number of neutral particles as a function of angular spread has been developed and constants determined for its energy and gas target thickness dependence. Maximum percentages of neutrals available from a 20–40 kev helium ion beam incident on a helium gas target varies from 25% in a cone angle of 10−4 radians to 70% in a cone angle of 10−3 radians.