[sdiy] Alpha Particle detectors

[Grant Richter]

http://www.fourmilab.to/

is an awesome site maintained by John Walker founder of Autodesk

It has an online random number server using the atomic decay principle:

http://www.fourmilab.to/hotbits/

They also mention lantern mantles as a source for alpha emissions.

It turns out the most efficient scintillator for alpha particles is silver
activated zinc sulfide which is a phosphor possibly used in old oscilloscope
tubes. This is also the phosphor Roentgen used to view alpha particles in
1858 which lead to the idea of the nucleus (according to one site).

Commercial plastic scintillation material is $150 for a 305mm x 305mm piece.

> From: Grant Richter <grichter at asapnet.net>
> Reply-To: grichter at asapnet.net
> Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2001 11:02:51 -0500
> To: <owner-synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>, <ka4hjh at gte.net>
> Cc: <john.l.marshall at gte.net>, <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
> Subject: [sdiy] Alpha Particle detectors
> 
> Yes, I know this is an ridiculously complex way to replace a zener connected
> 2N3904.
> 
> I just like the idea of using atomic decay to generate music.
> 
> "Death of Atoms = Birth of Music"
> 
> It started by finding this link for a random generator:
> 
> http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/Research/Security/seminars/1998/1998-11-03.html
> 
> Which is probably a photodiode internally doped with an alpha emitter.
> Smoke detectors contain Americium 241 and are easy to get:
> 
> http://www.llrc.org/smokedetect/smokedetectpage.htm
> 
> Also chemical scintillators which emit photons when struck by particles are
> available:
> 
> http://www.apace-science.com/ast/index.htm
> 
> You can get bulk isotopes here (with the right permits):
> 
> http://www.iichinc.com/index.htm
> 
> Is there an easier way to detect alpha particles than a photodiode
> scintillation counter? (The scintillation phosphors are rather expensive as
> you would expect) How about cutting the top off of the photodiode?
> 
> Would the phosphor from an old CRT work since the Americium is a weak beta
> emitter also?
> 
> Thanks for any info or suggestions.
> 
> 
> 
>