Equilibrium thickness of carbon target interacting with nitrogen and neon ion beams

The method for calculation of the target thickness which is required for the formation of equilibrium charge distribution of ions is proposed. The description of nonequilibrium processes is based on empirical estimations of charge-exchange cross sections, taking the density effect for solids into account. The variation of the average charge and the width of the nonequilibrium charge distribution as a function of the target thickness is analyzed. The results of calculations for nitrogen and neon ions in carbon are compared with experimental data.