Collisions of Aluminum and Iron Ions and Atoms with Gases in the Energy Range 5 KeV-2.5 MeV

Electron capture, electron loss, and ionization have been studied for aluminum and iron ions and atoms passing through ${\mathrm{N}}_2$, ${\mathrm{O}}_2$, and Ar. The experiments, which took place in three separate laboratories, had available the energy range from 5 keV to 2.5 MeV. In addition to presenting the cross sections and the methods employed, the paper contrasts the effects of projectile particles having low first and second ionization potentials with those of the more usually studied projectiles having ionization potentials comparable with those of the target gas. Of particular interest is the comparison of charge-transfer-versus ion-stripping probabilities. The results are compared with some of the present approximate theories.