Calculations of electronic stopping cross sections for low-energy protons in water

Calculations of electronic stopping cross sections for low-energy protons w ere performed using available interaction cross sections and information on the mean energy loss per collision. The results were compared with publish ed stopping power data to assess the general consistency and reliability of the results. The calculated stopping cross sections include contributions from excitation by both the proton and neutral-hydrogen components of the c harge-equilibrated beam and the mean energy lost per interaction. The calcu lated electronic stopping cross sections for swift charge-equilibrated hydr ogen particles in water are in agreement with previous tabulations of stopp ing power to within 20% (approx.) for particles energies less than 0.3 MeV. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.