The effective differential cross section for inelastic energy loss of electrons in matter

The effective differential cross section (DCS) for the inelastic energy loss of electrons propagating in matter is proposed that reproduces the stopping power and the straggling of energy loss but provides a total inelastic cross section that is significantly smaller than the one for the real DCS. The number of inelastic collisions of electrons in matter when using the effective DCS in Monte Carlo (MC) simulations is significantly lower than in the case of using the real DCS. The results of our MC simulations of electron propagation in aluminium using the proposed DCS are in good agreement with experimental data and with MC simulations using traditional approaches for description of inelastic energy loss of electrons in matter.