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 studied for low Z particles having energies in the range of 1–5 MeV/amu. Particle beams of 7Li, 9Be, 11B, 12C, and 16O nuclei were scattered from 197Au targets and their energies were measured with two silicon surface barrier detectors. For alpha-particle detection, both beam particles and those from a calibrated 228Th source were used. The data are anomalous in that the pulse heights for different ions of the same energy increase with atomic number, contrary to observations for fission fragments. It is found that the pulse height output of the detectors and the width of the pulse height distribution (FWHM) increase with the Z and Z2, respectively, of the detected particle.