Nonlinear, band-structure, and surface effects in the interaction of charged particles with solids

TL;DR

This paper surveys the complex interactions of charged particles with solids, focusing on nonlinear effects, surface phenomena, and ab initio calculations of energy loss, highlighting the roles of electron-hole pairs and plasmons.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of nonlinear and surface effects in charged particle interactions with solids, including new ab initio calculations and detailed contributions of various excitations.

Findings

Nonlinear corrections significantly affect stopping power.

Electron-hole pairs and plasmons contribute differently to energy loss.

Ab initio calculations align with experimental data.

Abstract

A survey is presented of various aspects of the interaction of charged particles with solids. In the framework of many-body perturbation theory, we study the nonlinear interaction of charged particles with a free gas of interacting electrons; in particular, nonlinear corrections to the stopping power are analyzed, and special emphasis is made on the separate contributions that are originated in the excitation of either electron-hole pairs, single plasmons, or double plasmons. Ab initio calculations of the electronic energy loss of ions moving in real solids are also presented, and the energy loss of charged particles interacting with simple metal surfaces is addressed.