Abstract. Treatment of electronic stopping via kinetic theory and the orbital local plasma approximation is extended (from free-standing ordered slabs) to include bulk crystalline targets, and hence probe their electron momentum distribution. Sensitive computational issues, important for comparison with experimental data, are addressed. A primary result is unambiguous first-principles prediction of large gas-solid and film-solid differences in Li stopping. Previous predictions had involved semi-empirical determination of mean excitation energies. Additionally, a stopping anisotropy that is separate from and much smaller than familiar channelling and related to the familiar Compton-profile anisotropy is treated, apparently for the first time. Example calculations for hexagonal Li and graphite are given.

Print publication: Issue 20 (24 May 1999)
Received 15 October 1998, in final form 9 February 1999