Energy loss straggling of Li, C and O ions in mylar and polycarbonate absorber foils

Measurements of energy loss straggling for Li, C and O ions in varying thicknesses of mylar (C10H8O4) and polycarbonate (C16H14O3) absorber foils in the energy range ∼3.0–6.0 MeV/u have been carried out, utilizing the Pelletron accelerator facility at Nuclear Science Centre, New Delhi, India. These measured values have been compared with the calculated values in order to establish the validity of various energy loss straggling formulations viz. Bohr, Lindhard and Scharff and Bethe–Livingston. From the energy loss straggling measurements in these two polymers having same atomic constituents and almost same effective Z, the validity of Bragg’s rule has been checked.