Proton elastic scattering cross section on carbon from 350 keV to 3 MeV

Using our set-up for the simultaneous many-angle detection of backscattered particles, we have measured the proton elastic scattering cross section on carbon, in the angular range from 100 to 170 (in steps of 5 ) and for beam energies from 350 keV to 3 MeV. Thin self-supporting natural carbon foils have been used, ∝13 μg/cm2 for the measurements from 350 to 700 keV, ∝50 μg/cm2 above 700 keV. A scattering spectrum was also simultaneously recorded at 15 (purely Rutherford cross section at all energies) for normalisation purposes. Thanks to the simultaneous acquisition of this spectrum, the uncertainties in the effective target thickness and in the integrated beam charge do not affect the deduced backscattering cross section values, whose overall accuracy is estimated to be ±4% (maximum error) at all the beam energies and angles. (orig.)