MEV HEAVY-ION STOPPING POWER MEASUREMENTS USING NSC PELLETRON

Surface modification and characterization are being undertaken increas ingly using the MeV heavy ion beams. Interpretation of such data requi res reliable and precise values of stopping powers involved. Sufficien t data exists above 2.5 MeV/n but less information is available at low er energies. The present series of experiments report the results of s topping power measurements for various ion species between Z = 8 and 2 9, covering the energy range similar to 0.2-1.0 MeV/n in carbon. The e lastic recoil ion defection system provided a unique method to generat e variety of variable energy ion species utilising a fixed energy heav y (Z = 47, 53, 79) projectile beam from the NSC Delhi 15 MV Pelletron facility. The data has been compared with available theoretical and se miempirical fitting treatments. Relative merits and demerits of these formulations have been highlighted Future projections to our line of i nvestigation have been indicated in the light of some recent innovativ e theoretical predictions. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights r eserved.