An experimental study of charge transfer in proton-atomic-hydrogen collisions using a furnace target method

The charge neutralization of protons during passage through an atomic-hydrogen furnace has been studied in the energy range 40-250 kev. The variation of the ratio Q 1 / Q 2 of the charge transfer cross sections in atomic and molecular hydrogen is found to be fairly consistent with the recent data of McClure up to 117 kev. Above 110 kev the ratio appears to reach a steady value of 0.42 ± 0 03. Cross sections Q 1 , estimated by the use of known values of Q 2 , are generally consistent with the calculations of Jackson and Schiff at impact energies above 110 kev.