Search for a Slow Component in Alpha Ionization

Delayed ion production has been advanced as the reason for the difference in W (average energy expended in the creation of an ion pair) obtained by fast and slow collection of the ionization from alpha particles in gases. In order to determine whether such slow components exist, the slow and fast measuring methods are applied simultaneously to a single gridded chamber. The results in Ar, 90% Ar+10% CH₄, and N₂ for alpha energies ranging from 1.5 to 4 MeV show that no such slow components exceeding the uncertainty of the measurements (0.5%) are present. This indicates that (at least in the above cases) discrepancies between slow and fast methods in past measurements are not due to physical effects.