On the stopping of Sn1+ ions in molecular hydrogen gas

We investigate the stopping of energetic (0.13–3 keV) Sn 1+ ions in molecular hydrogen gas using a combined experimental and modeling approach. Data on Sn q + − H 2 collisions in this energy range is sparse, limiting a complete atomistic understanding. Time-of-flight measurements employing retarding field analyzers are used to quantify pressure-dependent shifts in flight time of Sn 1+ ions traversing H 2 at pressures between 2 × 1 0 − 4 and 2 × 1 0 − 2 mbar. From these shifts, stopping cross sections are extracted as a function of ion energy. To interpret the measurements, a semi-classical collision model is developed, which incorporates interaction potentials derived from density functional theory and explicitly accounts for the molecular structure of H 2 . The modeled stopping cross sections are in good agreement with the experimental results. Compared with other work, our dataset falls within the range reported in the literature and occupies a central position within this range.