A Penetration depth of a ion beam coupled with an EM wave

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Ion sources generate ion beams, such as argon ions, which can be used in various applications including particle accelerators and material irradiation. When an ion beam is coupled with an electromagnetic (EM) wave, particularly at microwave frequencies, the ions oscillate as they penetrate the material, suggesting that penetration depth may depend on both ion velocity and wave frequency. However, the primary energy loss mechanism for charged particles in matter is ionization, and it is believed that microwaves have minimal impact on this energy loss unless they can ionize the material themselves. Energy loss tables are available for calculating charged particle energy loss in materials, with the Bethe-Bloch formula being a key reference for understanding the relationship between energy loss and penetration depth. Overall, further research may be needed to explore the effects of EM waves on ion penetration.
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TL;DR
How does the penetration depth of a ion beam coupled with a EM microwave depend upon the frequency of the wave?
A Ion source is a device that allows creating ion beams (e.g. argon ions) and to project them outside the device, for example to be further processed by a particle accelerator, or to irradiate materials or biological tissues etc.
Now, suppose the ion beam is coupled with an EM wave, especially of microwave frequency, and irradiates a given material.
Said very simplistically, the ions will oscillate at the frequency of the wave as they penetrate the irradiated material.
Then it is natural to suspect that the penetration depth of the ions depends not only upon their velocity, but also upon the frequency of the carrying wave.
Is there something known about that? what work has been done in this domain? any reference?
 
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The main energy loss mechanism for charged particles in matter is ionization of the matter. There are energy loss tables I used in the distant pass to compute charge particle energy loss in things like thin metal films etc. That said, I'd expect near to no influence on particle energy loss by any microwaves unless the microwaves themselves could ionize the mater. That's a lot of microwaves.
 
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Paul Colby said:
The main energy loss mechanism for charged particles in matter is ionization of the matter. There are energy loss tables I used in the distant pass to compute charge particle energy loss in things like thin metal films etc. That said, I'd expect near to no influence on particle energy loss by any microwaves unless the microwaves themselves could ionize the mater. That's a lot of microwaves.
Thx for answering me. How is the energy loss related to the penetration depth (a formula? or a name for a formula in order I can google it?).
 
Bethe-Bloch, should give you a good start
 
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