Heavy ion identification using a thin film scintillator detector

The application of a thin film scintillator detector (TFD) for the identification of heavy ion products from the well-known reactions 12C+16O, 12C+14N, 12C+12C and 12C+7Li has been made. The TFD was used to measure values proportional to specific luminescence and a solid state detector was used for incident and residual particle energy measurements. In parallel experiments the TFD was exposed to a range of monoenergetic ion beams of 16O, 14N, 12C and 7Li, as well as to alpha particles from a 228Th decay source, in order to establish calibration curves. These spectra were collated with two-parameter plots of coincident signals from the solid state and scintillator detectors for each reaction. Trends in specific luminescence as a function of ion energy-loss and luminescence efficiency vs. ion energy are also presented. Calculations based on two different models of specific luminescence production are shown to agree with the general behavior exhibited by the five ions. (Auth.)