Comparison of experimental and theoretical electron ejection cross sections in helium by proton impact from 5 to 100 keV

Absolute values of doubly differential cross sections are obtained for electron production in helium by 5- to 100-keV proton impact. The measured values along with earlier data at higher energies are compared with theoretical plane-wave Born-approximation functions obtained from a Hartree-Fock potential. Not only is good agreement obtained at high impact energies (above 300 keV), but fairly good agreement is found at low energies (below about 20 keV). For electrons ejected in the backward hemisphere, unexpectedly poor agreement is noted at intermediate energies where the measured cross sections dip to 50% of the calculated values in some cases. Singly differential cross sections integrated over all angles agree quite well with the theoretical calculations over all ranges of parameters studied. Singly differential cross sections integrated over all electron energies tend to be more isotropic in angle as the proton energy is decreased from 100 to 5 keV. Total cross sections for electron production are also obtained which compare reasonably well with those of Solov'ev et al. but which are higher than those of de Heer et al. It is shown that the contribution to the cross section by the mechanism of charge transfer to the continuum decreases as the impact energy decreases, contrary to the prediction of Salin's treatment.