Deduction of Heavy-Ion X-Ray Production Cross Sections from Thick-Target Yields

The conventional formula determining x-ray production cross sections from thick-target yields has to be corrected for the effects of energy-loss straggling, x rays from recoil atoms, and nonstraight ion trajectories when heavy (keV and low MeV) ions are used as projectiles. The first two corrections are evaluated in this paper for the case where the last is small (negligible absorption). Carbon $K$ x-ray cross sections are deduced from published yield data. Large corrections, up to one order of magnitude, are found.