Comparison of surface barrier detector pulse height spectra of 244Cf spontaneous fission fragments

With spontaneous fissioning isotopes such as 244Cm where alpha decay is strongly dominant, the investigation of the rare fission events with surface barrier detectors (SBDs) can be misleading or even impossible because of radiation damage by alpha particles. We compare the shape of 244Cm (sf) and 252Cf (sf) fragment energy spectra taken with undamaged SBDs and quote, for the first time, the spectrum parameters introduced by Schmitt and Pleasonton for a 244Cm fragment energy spectrum. (orig.)