Description of the Energy Losses of Heavy Ions in Carbon As a Function of Their Velocity

The possibility of analytically calculating ion energy losses in the velocity interval of 1–10 au, where energy losses reach their maximum value, is considered. In this interval, the charge-exchange processes (electron capture and loss by an ion) lead to the fact that the average effective charge differs from the nuclear charge. The use of expressions for the average charge of ions passing through a carbon target in the Bethe—Bloch formula makes it possible to determine the ion velocities at which the energy losses reach their maximum and also the maximum ion energy losses. The performed calculations of the energy losses of ions with nuclear charges of Z = 4–10 agree quantitatively with the semiempirical (SRIM) and theoretical (PASS) results.