A precise measurement of alpha radiation with solid state nuclear track detector microfilm

This project will introduce a new and novel method for alpha spectroscopy using SSNTDs microfilms. Alphas with sufficient energy will be able to penetrate the film and reach the opposite surface of the detector. The other alphas with less energy will not be able to penetrate the film. By counting the tracks on both faces of SSNTDs, we can know the number of alphas with specific energy and subsequently know the source of these alphas (alpha spectroscopy). This method can effectively measure naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM). Also, it can precisely measure radon (222Rn) and its decay products 218Po and 214Po in air, water and soil. The suitable thickness of films will be chosen based on calculations using the Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter (SRIM) code. The 241Am radioisotope will be used as the radiation source of alpha particles. We can get the alphas with different energies by changing the distance between the 241Am source and the detector.