GEANT4 modeling of alpha particles detection efficiency for polycarbonate SSNTD

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment, 2022-06, Vol.1033, p.166714, Article 166714
• Main Authors: Moslehi, A., Baradaran, S., Taheri, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alpha particles; Detection efficiency; GEANT4; Polycarbonate
• ISSN: 0168-9002; 1872-9576
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2022.166714

In this paper, a simple model based on the GEANT4 simulation toolkit is presented to determine the detection efficiency of polycarbonate detectors. Different alpha energies obtained by traveling of 241Am source alpha particles through different air columns are considered. Experimental measurement are also carried out using two different solutions and electrochemical etching conditions. The thicknesses of the bulk and the electrochemical etching layers extracted from the etching process are assumed as the key parameters. When the vertical range of an alpha particle corresponding to a linear energy transfer above the threshold required for forming the tracks lies between the two above thicknesses, the model counts a track. Fitting the modeled and the experimental efficiencies in the energy range 0.2 to 5 MeV shows that the threshold for forming the tracks in polycarbonate is 240 keV μm−1. Finally, the linear energy transfer threshold as well as the model for track formation presented here can be utilized for future investigations on the polycarbonate detector.