Study of inhomogeneity in thickness of LR-115 detector with SEM and Form
Talysurf, CWY Yip et al 2003 full text 4 p pdf: Lomax: Murray 2010.10.05
Hello Abd,
I support your courageous initiative to develop a low-cost kit to
demonstrate a neutron emission anomaly in a small LENR electrolysis cell.
This is a possible revolutionary experiment.
I especially like that your design eliminates charged particle and EM
radiation background -- it would be easier to count and measure a limited
number of neutron proton recoil pits.
These events might produce flashes of light, from IR to UV, and of sound,
which could be used to set off a webcam and mike for exact recording of
signals, locations on the chip, and energy.
What are the exact measurements of the acrylic cell, and of the volume of
electrolyte?
Also, the dry mass of the cell should be measured, so that comparisons can
be made after each run.
What is the exact composition and density of the acrilic plastic? Electric
breakdown voltage, resistance, dilectric constant? What solvants affect it?
How uniform is it on the micro and nanoscale?
Are there any residual stresses in it from the pressures used in
manufacture? These might show up under polarized light.
Since humidity affects the LR-115, the cell could be placed in a plastic
bag, sealed with a rubber band around the cell near the top of the cell,
along with a dessicant.
In mutual service, Rich
http://www.cityu.edu.hk/ap/nru/pub_j88.pdf
Radiation Measurements 36 (2003) 245-248
www.elsevier.com/locate/radmeas
Study of inhomogeneity in thickness of LR 115 detector with SEM and Form
Talysurf
C.W.Y. Yip, J.P.Y. Ho, D. Nikezic1, K.N. Yu?
Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong,
Tat Chee Avenue Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Received 21 October 2002; accepted 24 April 2003
Abstract
Long-term measurements of radon progeny concentrations using Solid-State
nuclear tract detector are being actively explored.
These measurements depend critically on the thickness of the removed layer
during etching.
Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations have identifed
irregularities in etched LR 115 detectors, such as detachment of the active
layer from the substrate and formation of air gaps in the substrate.
After discarding these irregularities, by using "Form Talysurf" surface
profile measurements, the thickness of the active layers for the LR 115
detector are found to be 11.8 ± 0.2 and 5.0 ± 0.4 microm before and after 2
h of etching, respectively.
The coefficient of variation has thus risen from 1.7% to 8.0% on etching.
The increased inhomogeneity is explained by the formation of track-like
damages, which have been observed using Form Talysurf, SEM, optical
microscope and atomic force microscope.
With this relative large coefficient of variation, the thickness of the
active layer in the LR 115 detector cannot be assumed to be homogeneous in
general, and the associated uncertainties should be considered carefully
when the detector is used for alpha spectroscopy.
2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: LR 115; Thickness; Bulk etch
