Energy window of Makrofol for alpha particle detection.

Detection energy window of Makrofol detector irradiated with alpha particles and chemically treated by PEW (potassium hydroxide, ethanol, water) solution was investigated. Detectors were exposed to 241 Am source through the cylindrical collimators in order to control incident alpha particle energies and angles. Alpha particles were detected in the wide energy range from 0.4 MeV to above 5 MeV. The dependence of track diameter on particle incident energy was also examined. Changes of etchant concentration and bulk etch rate (V b) during two-hour etching were investigated. A slight increase of etchant concentration was observed while V b was nearly constant during the whole etching process. Alpha particle passage through collimators with various dimensions and the corresponding energy distribution were also simulated theoretically using Monte Carlo Method and computer program written in Fortran90. • Detection energy window of Makrofol irradiated with alpha particles was investigated. • Particles in the energy range from 0.4 MeV to above 5 MeV were detected. • The dependence of track diameter on particle incident energy followed Bragg curve. • A slight increase of etchant concentration was observed; V b was nearly constant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]