Parameterization of the pulse height defect and resolution for low-Z ions incident on silicon barrier detectors

The pulse height output of silicon charged particle detectors has been stud ied for low Z particles having energies in the range of 1-5 MeV/amu. Partic le beams of Li-7, Be-9, B-11, C-12, and O-16 nuclei were scattered from Au- 197 targets and their energies were measured with two silicon surface barri er detectors, For alpha-particle detection, both beam particles and those f rom a calibrated Th-228 source were used. The data are anomalous in that th e pulse heights for different ions of the same energy increase with atomic number, contrary to observations for fission fragments. It is found that th e pulse height output of the detectors and the width of the pulse height di stribution (FWHM) increase with the Z and Z(2), respectively, of the detect ed particle, (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.