Some recent progress on the measurement of K-shell ionization cross-sections of atoms by electron impact: Application to Ti and Cr elements

in this paper, we have taken some measures to improve the accuracy of our experimental data for K-shell ionization cross-sections by electron impact. These measures include (1) measurement of the thin target thickness with Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and (2) detection efficiency calibration in the lower energy region using thick carbon target bremsstrahlung by electron impact and (3) electron reflection correction and electron mean track length correction based upon Monte Carlo method. These measures are applied to the measurement of K-shell ionization cross-sections of Ti and Cr elements from the threshold energies up to 26 keV. From the comparison with some theoretical models, empirical formulae and some previous experimental data, it is concluded that these measures taken in this paper are effective in the improvement of accuracy of experimental data. The present experimental data for Ti and Cr elements also clarify the discrepancies among some experimental data sets. In addition, these measures will also be very helpful in the measurement of K-shell ionization cross-sections for lower Z elements and in the measurement of L, M-shell ionization cross-sections for medium and higher Z elements. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.