The sensitivity of backscattering coefficients to elastic scattering cross-sections and electron stopping powers

C. G H Walker, J. A D Matthew, M. M. El-Gomati*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The sensitivity of Monte Carlo estimates of backscattering coefficients η to the accuracy of their input data is examined by studying the percentage change in η due to changes of 10% and 20% in the differential elastic scattering cross-section dσ/dΩ and corresponding changes in the stopping power S(E) in the primary energy range 200-10,000-eV. To a good approximation equivalent elastic and inelastic scattering changes produce equal and opposite shifts in η, a result consistent with predictions of transport theory. For medium to high atomic numbers an x% error in the specification of either S(E) or dσ/dΩ produces a percentage change in η significantly less than x%, while at low atomic number Δη/η increases approximately linearly with ln-E so that Monte Carlo predictions are then more sensitive to parameter precision at high energy.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)241-245
Number of pages5
JournalScanning
Volume36
Issue number2
Early online date6 May 2013
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2014

Keywords

  • backscattering coefficient
  • continuous slowing down approximation
  • elastic scattering
  • electron transport
  • error propagation
  • Monte Carlo
  • stopping power

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