Doubly differential cross sections for electron-loss in ion-atom collisions

Abstract

The doubly differential cross section for electron loss from the projectile in fast atomic collisions is obtained from a transformation to the laboratory frame of the corresponding Born cross section for ionization of electrons in the projectile frame. The ejected-electron velocity distribution is always centred close to the projectile speed but the character of the ejected electrons is different in forward and backward directions. In forward directions a cusp-shaped velocity distribution arises. In backward directions the description of the distribution as due to elastic scattering of the ejected electrons from the target nucleus is justified.