Electronic stopping power of diamond for electrons and positrons

Abstract

<p>We assess a new data set of mass electronic stopping powers of diamond for electrons and positrons.</p><p>To this end, an optical energy-loss function (OELF) for this material is generated from available</p><p>experimental dielectric properties of the valence band and photoabsorption mass attenuation</p><p>coefficients, supplemented with a Drude-type analytical expression to interpolate at intermediate</p><p>energies. From this synthetic OELF, a mean excitation energy equal to (88.5±2.0) eV is extracted and</p><p>the density-effect correction is evaluated using Fano’s simplified method. These quantities then allow</p><p>calculating the mass electronic stopping power of diamond for electrons and positrons by means of</p><p>the relativistic Bethe formula. The present results for 1 keV–1 GeV electrons in diamond are 0.9%–</p><p>3.3% smaller than those corresponding to graphite as tabulated in ICRU Report 90.</p>