Obtaining the Bragg curve using a low-cost detector

Abstract

Abstract The Bragg curve has special significance for modern medicine. The pronounced peak of energy loss at the end of the heavy charged particle path in matter allows tumors to be treated more accurately with protons and other heavier ions beams. In order to use simple devices to experimentally illustrate the principles involved in the charged particle energy loss in matter, we present how to build a low-cost detector to study the loss of energy of alpha particles in air and obtain the Bragg curve.