Uncertainty minimization in electronic stopping cross-section measurements using the backscattering method

Abstract

Accurate determination of electronic stopping cross-sections is critical for ion beam analysis and related applications. While transmission methods are well established, backscattering approaches remain less explored from a metrological perspective, often lacking a systematic treatment of uncertainties. In this work, we present a quantitative framework to optimize experimental geometry in backscattering-based stopping measurements, explicitly accounting for both statistical and systematic errors. Applying the method to helium ions in gold thin films, we identify angular conditions that balance precision and accuracy, achieving average total uncertainties of 4.7% over a wide energy range. The results, benchmarked against SRIM, DPASS, and ICRU-49, demonstrate that our approach improves the reliability of RBS-derived stopping data and strengthens their use for reference purposes and model validation.