Heavy-ion particle spectrometry by track pattern in muscovite detectors

Muscovite mica detectors were irradiated with the ions: ¹⁹F of 47.5 MeV, ²⁴Mg of 57 MeV, ²⁸Si of 28 and 74 MeV, ³²S of 32 and 74 MeV, ⁶³Cu of 78.75 MeV and with neutron induced uranium fission fragments. Using optical microscopy, after an appropriate chemical etching, two characteristic etched track structure patterns were observed: a rhombic pyramid terrace structure for the Mg, Si and S ions, and a rhombic prism structure for the Cu ions and fission fragments. The use of these etched track patterns to discriminate two groups of ions between them, for the energy range covered in this work, is proposed.