Local vs. non-local energy loss of low energy ions: Influence of charge exchange processes in close collisions

We investigate the contribution of charge exchange processes in close collisions between projectile and target atoms to the electronic energy loss of low energy ions. We measure the energy loss of slow hydrogen and He ions in ultrathin Al films through which the ions are transmitted before and after backscattering by the atoms of a Ta substrate. The individual contributions to the energy loss are analyzed. The roles of thresholds for reionization and of scattering kinematics as key parameters for the coupling between elastic and inelastic losses are discussed. The implications of the obtained results for different experimental approaches to deduce stopping cross sections are outlined.