Track recording properties of soda glass detector for accelerated heavy ions

The etch pit diameters of soda glass detector samples exposed to ₅₄ ¹³² Xe-ions of different energies are measured for different etching times after etching the detector in a ‘new etchant’ free of the adverse effect of the etch product layer. The dependence of track diameter on the energy and on the energy loss, dE/dx of ₅₄ ¹³² Xe-ion in soda glass has been presented. The energy resolution of soda glass and the critical angle for etching of fission fragment tracks in glass detectors have also been determined. The maximum etched track length of ₅₄ ¹³² Xe-ion in soda glass has been compared with the theoretical range. The effects of different annealing conditions on bulk etch rate of glass detector and on diameters of ₅₄ ¹³² Xe-ion tracks have been presented. Experimental results show that there is a decrease in track etch rate, etching efficiency and etchable range of ₅₄ ¹³² Xe-ions with annealing. The annealing of oblique tracks shows that the vertical tracks are more stable than the oblique tracks.