Preliminary study of the applicability of the thin gap method on alpha emitters

The thin gap method as an in-situ radiotracer technique is widely used. This study investigated the applicability of alpha emitters. PIPS and CsI alpha spectrometers were applied in a thin gap cell. A suitable 210Po source was prepared by spontaneous deposition, Mylar foil was used to simulate water. A maximum intensity decrement of 7% within 25 μm was observed. Even though this method is suitable for the study of surface phenomena, further investigation is necessary e.g. into water and heat sensitivity.