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arXiv · 1912.11042

First investigation of the response of solar cells to heavy ions above 1 AMeV

A. Henriques·B. Jurado·J. Pibernat·J. C. Thomas·D. Denis-Petit·T. Chiron·L. Gaudefroy·J. Glorius·Yu. A. Litvinov·L. Mathieu·V. Méot·R. Pérez-Sánchez·O. Roig·U. Spillmann·B. Thomas·B. A. Thomas·I. Tsekhanovich·L. Varga·Y. Xing
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Abstract

Solar cells have been used since several decades for the detection of fission fragments at about 1 AMeV. The advantages of solar cells regarding their cost (few euros) and radiation damage resistance make them an interesting candidate for heavy ion detection and an appealing alternative to silicon detectors. A first exploratory measurement of the response of solar cells to heavy ions at energies above 1 AMeV has been performed at the GANIL facility, Caen, France. Such measurements were performed with 84Kr and 129Xe beams ranging from 7 to 13 AMeV. The energy and time response of several types of solar cells were studied. The best performance was observed for cells of 10x10 mm2, with an energy and time resolution of {\sigma}(E)/E=1.4% and 3.6 ns (FWHM), respectively. Irradiations at rates from a few hundred to 106 particles per second were also performed to investigate the behavior of the cells with increasing intensity.

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A. Henriques, B. Jurado, J. Pibernat, J. C. Thomas, D. Denis-Petit, T. Chiron, L. Gaudefroy, J. Glorius, Yu. A. Litvinov, L. Mathieu, V. Méot, R. Pérez-Sánchez, O. Roig, U. Spillmann, B. Thomas, B. A. Thomas, I. Tsekhanovich, L. Varga, Y. Xing. 2019-12-22. First investigation of the response of solar cells to heavy ions above 1 AMeV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2020.163941

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