Channeling of 5 MeV protons in Si monocrystals

After a short discussion of the channeling concept and of the parameters used in its quantitative descriptions the paper presents the experimental method for channeling studies developed at the IPNE Cyclotron in Bucharest. For testing the experimental set-up the axial channeling of 5 MeV protons in 50 μm, respectively 100 μm, thick Si monocrystals has been measured. For the thin crystal and (111) axis the critical angle and the minimum yield took the values psisub(c) = 0.11deg and chisub(min) = 0.24 respectively, while for the (110) axis psisub(c) = 0.31deg and chisub(min) = 0.75. The channeling along (111) axis in the thick crystal is characterized by psisub(c) = 0.08deg and chisub(min) = O.67. Finally, the use of channeling for locating impurity atoms in the crystal lattice, for evaluating the radiation induced damages or for studying special crystals is shortly reviewed. (author)