Cross sections for K-shell ionization by heavy ions have been determined from the measurements of target K x-ray yields. The measurements were performed with Ar, Kr, and Xe ions at energies from 2.5 to 25 MeV/amu and self-supported metallic foil targets of Al, Ti, Cu, Zr, Ag, Sm, and Ta. The x-ray yields were measured with a Si(Li) detector, while the projectile ions were counted in coincidence with the x-rays using a plastic scintillation detector. In addition, the amount of secondary K-shell ionization and the degree of simultaneous L-shell ionization in primary K-shell ionizing collisions were assessed by performing high-resolution x-ray measurements on targets of Al, Ti, V, Co, and Cu with a curved crystal spectrometer. The results of the high resolution measurements revealed that the apparent average Lshell spectator vacancy fraction at the time of Kα x-ray emission, L p , may be represented by a universal function of the Geometrical Model’s parameter X for Z2 = 17 - 32. Multiple-vacancy Kα fluorescence yields and corrections for K-shell ionization by secondary processes were determined with the aid of the high resolution spectra for the targets Al, Ti, and Cu. Fluorescence yields for the other targets were determined using an extrapolation procedure. The resulting K-vacancy production cross sections for 2.5 to 6 MeV/amu projectiles were compared with a limited amount of available experimental data and shown to be in relatively good agreement. The ECPSSR predictions for all the targets except Al agreed reasonably well with experimental cross sections for Ar projectiles. The experimental cross sections for Kvacancy production in Al, Ti, Cu, Zr, and Ag were greatly deviated from the ECPSSR predictions. The cross sections for Kr on Sm and Ta were in good agreement with theory. The scaling properties of the Kα x-ray production cross sections were examined and a semiempirical “universal” curve was deduced that reproduces the measured cross sections to within ±30% on average. The relationship between the Kα x-ray production cross sections and the geometrical model’s universal variable also was examined.

Protons with energies ranging from 0.4 to 2.0 MeV were used to measure K-shell vacancy production cross sections (oVK) for N_2, CH_4, C_2H_4, C_2H_6, and CO_2 gas targets under single collision conditions. An electron-ion time-of-flight coincidence technique was used to determind the ration of the K-K electron capture cross section, OECK, to the K-vacancy production cross section, oVK. These ratios were then combined with the measured values of oVK to extract the K-K electron capture cross sections. Measurements were also made for protons of the same energy range but with regard to L-shell vacancy production and L-K electron capture for Ar targets. In addition, K-K electron capture cross sections were measured for 1.0 to 2.0 Mev 42He^_ ions on CH_4.

The goal of this work reported here is to test the limits of the ECPSSR theory in the transition region of the low Z1/Z2.

The purpose of this work was to examine the effect of the use the assumption κω2K/ΕCM «1 in calculating K-shell ionization cross sections in the plane wave Born approximation (PWBA) where κω2K is the observed binding energy of the K-shell and ECM is the energy of the incident particle in the center of mass system. Avoiding this assumption produces a threshold for ionization at Ecm = κω2K. Calculations employing the assumption, which leads to the use of approximate limits of integration, do not go to zero for even the .Lowest values of the incident energy.

In this study, procedures were developed to produce ultra-clean, ultra-thin target foils and to remove x-ray interference from electron bremsstrahlung and low energy K-shell x-rays from contaminant elements.