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

TL;DR

This study explores the response of solar cells to heavy ions above 1 AMeV, assessing their potential as cost-effective, radiation-resistant detectors for high-energy heavy ion detection.

Contribution

First experimental investigation of solar cell responses to heavy ions above 1 AMeV, demonstrating their potential for high-energy heavy ion detection.

Findings

Solar cells show promising energy resolution of 1.4% at 10x10 mm2 size.

Time resolution achieved is 3.6 ns (FWHM).

Cells maintain performance at high irradiation rates up to 10^6 particles/sec.

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.