Energy loss of a low-energy ion beam in passage through an equilibrium cesium plasma

Abstract

The energy loss of a beam of cesium or lithium ions traversing a near-thermal equilibrium cesium plasma has been measured as a function of plasma density at ion-beam energies of 35-150 eV. The plasma electron-ion temperature ranged from 2100 to 2500 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K, and the charged-particle density ranged from (0.1 to 8.0) \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{11}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$. The measured energy loss is found to agree well with theoretical predictions.