Interactions of Charged Particles with Matter

Abstract

This chapter addresses interactions of charged particle ionizing radiation with absorber: interaction with orbital electrons of an absorber results in collision loss; interaction with nuclei of absorber results in radiation loss. Stopping power of an absorber is a parameter that describes the gradual loss of charged particle kinetic energy as it penetrates into an absorber. Two classes of stopping power are discussed in this chapter: collision stopping power results from charged particle Coulomb interaction with orbital electrons of the absorber, while radiation stopping power results from charged particle inelastic interaction with nuclei of the absorber. Other parameters of charged particle interactions with absorber, such as range, energy transfer, mean ionization/excitation potential, and radiation yield are also discussed in this chapter.