On the stopping of fast particles and on the creation of positive electrons

Abstract The stopping power of matter for fast particles is at present believed to be due to three different processes: (1) the ionization; (2) the nuclear scattering; (3) the emission of radiation under the influence of the electric field of a nucleus. The first two processes have been treated in quantum mechanics by Bethe, Møller, and Bloch in a very satisfactory way. A provisional estimation of the order of magnitude to be expected in the third process has been given by Heitler. The result obtained was that the cross-section ϕ for the energy loss by radiation for very fast particles (if the primary energy E0 ≫ mc2) is of the order ϕ ∽ Z2/137 (e2/mc2)2, (1) Where Z is the nuclear charge. It is the aim of the present paper to discuss in greater detain the rate of loss of energy by this third process and its dependence on the primary energy; in particular we shall consider the effect of screening. The results obtained for very high energies (> 137 mc2) seem to be in disagreement with experiments made by Anderson (cf. 7).