Copper K-shell emission cross sections for laser–solid experiments

Abstract

Published measurements and models of the cross section for electrons causing K-shell emission from copper are reviewed to find a suitable expression to use when analyzing K{sub α}-emission measurements in laser–solid experiments at peak intensities above 10{sup 18} W/cm{sup 2}. Few measurements exist in the 0.1- to 10-MeV electron energy range currently of interest, leaving a number of possible suitable models that are summarized here with a number of typing errors corrected. Two different limiting forms for the cross section at relativistic energies are used, and existing measurements do not give a clear indication as to which is correct. Comparison with the limiting form of electron stopping power indicates an alternative relativistic form and also that the density-effect correction will be important in copper above 10 MeV. For data analysis relying on relative K{sub α} emission caused by electrons with energy much greater than the K-shell binding energy, the existing uncertainty in cross sections is unimportant, but it will be a source of uncertainty when using absolute values and for electron energies up to ∼6× the binding energy. K-shell emission caused by photons and protons is also briefly reviewed.