Calculations of Energy Loss, Range, Pathlength, Straggling, Multiple Scattering, and the Probability of Inelastic Nuclear Collisions for 0.1-to 1000-Mev Protons

摘要

Theoretical calculations have been made of the mean energy loss, pathlength, range, multiple scattering, and pathlength straggling of protons in 74 materials, including materials regularly used in radiation shielding and dosimetry. Emphasis has been placed on obtaining accurate results, especially for heavy materials and protons of very low energy. Values of the energy loss between 0.1 and 1.0 Mev were obtained by smoothing and interpolating experimental information. Above 1.0 Mev, the Bethe equation with all the necessary shell corrections has been used. The polarization effect has been calculated in detail for each material. Ranges have been obtained from the pathlengths by use of detailed multiple coulomb scattering theory. Comprehensive tabulations of the range straggling and multiple scattering have been presented for each of the materials. The energy loss and range calculations have been compared with the available experimental data and the mean deviation is usually within 1.0 percent. Deviation rarely exceeds the estimated error of the experimental data. The theoretical approach is also discussed in detail, and the method used to obtain the K, L, M, N, and O shell corrections is presented. A first-order correction has been made which compensates for the molecular binding effects occurring in compounds. The probability that a proton will undergo an inelastic nuclear interaction throughout its entire pathlength is also tabulated.