Non-evidence forZ1oscillations of the nuclear ion-atom interaction in an amorphous target

Abstract

Periodic variations in the Z ₁ dependence of the interatomic potential has recently bevlen revealed by a channeling technique. To search for oscillations of similar kind in a target of randomly arranged atoms we have made systematic measurements on the scattering distributions of energetic (32–56 keV) ions in amorphous carbon. Our technique was to transmit light mass ions through carbon foils with a thickness of 2–4 μg/cm². The atomic number of the ions, Z, ranged from 3 to 18. The scattering distribution of the transmitted particles was recorded. From these curves the angular halfwidth,ψ ^1/2, and the relative intensity at a scattering angle 2.5 times ψ ^1/2 was determined. The experimental values are in good agreement with theoretical calculations based on the Thomas-Fermi and Lenz- Jensen potentials. Furthermore, the saturation value of the mean nuclear stopping cross sections for ions scattered in the straight forward direction with a mean energy of 50 keV are given. No evidence for a Z ₁ oscillatory behaviour could be found in any of the three parameters investigated.