ABSTRACT
Fragmentation processes are part of the interactions taking place when charged particles traverse matter. Such processes play a significant role in different scenarios of practical interest, as for instance charged particle therapy and space radioprotection. When carbon ions are considered, fragmentation of the primary beam takes place too. In a typical carbon ion treatment, this is responsible for about 50% of primary ions reaching the target, with the remaining fraction transformed into lighter fragments that distort the depth-dose profile. In the energy range of interest, the fragmentation processes are reasonably well described by nucleus-nucleus collision models, which are based on the two-step process of abrasion-ablation. Particles generated from the ion fragmentation reactions are typically described as either “projectile” fragments or “target” fragments. The charge and mass of the primary particles are relevant to determine the specific contribution of the fragments.
