Alpha spectroscopy for in situ liquid radioisotope measurements in rectangular microchannels

Abstract

Using calculations and SRIM simulations of alpha particle energy spectroscopy, we show that it may be possible to determine the birth energies and concentrations of alpha-emitting radioisotopes from in situ measurements in fluid-filled rectangular microchannels. We quantify the effect of microchannel geometry on the alpha spectrum by comparing results for planar source volumes and rectangular microchannels. By reducing the dimensions of the microchannel, the contribution to the spectrum from low count rate, low energy radioisotopes may be revealed amongst the signal from higher count rate and higher energy alpha emitters.