Radiation damage studies by a novel alpha emitter technique

A novel method for the study of radiation damage in thin films is introduced. It utilizes a high flux surface source of alpha emitters which implant their daughters - themselves alpha emitters - in the sample, using the recoil obtained during the decay process. The effect of the damage is measured through changes in the electric resistivity of the sample. Thin films of gold and platinum served as test cases for the method, demonstrating the fundamental difference between this newly presented irradiation method and conventional, external irradiation experiments. The different behavior of these metals during isochronous annealing of the damage, compared to literature data, serves as an example for that difference.