Studies on the variation of the track etch rate along alpha particle trajectories in CR-39

At the beginning of the etching process a constant track etch rate can be assumed. In deeper detector layers, however, the etch rate varies drastically along the particle trajectories. Consequently, the indirect determination of the track etch rate by measuring the etch pit diameters on the detector surface does not yield correct results. Therefore, a method for the direct measurement of the track etch rate as a function of the depth within the detector was developed. Applying this method, the relationship between the track etch rate and the energy loss in CR-39/PATRAS could be derived.     

Simulation of the track growth and determining the track parameters

We have found the equation of the etch pit wall in solid state nuclear track detectors, as follows:

where: x is the distance along a track from the point where the particle entered the detector; V(x) is the ratio of the track etch rate to the bulk etch rate; C is the integration constant that can be determined from particle penetration depth, and y is the normal distance from the particle trajectory to the etch pit wall. The equation is derived assuming the increasing track etch rate V_t along the particle trajectory.

The above equation can be used for the simulation of the track growth and calculating the major and the minor axis of the etch pit opening. The corresponding computer program was set up. The input parameters of this program are: alpha particle energy, incidence angle and removed layer: the output are track parameters. The results obtained by this method are compared with another approach given by Somogyi and Szalay (1973) and reasonably good agreement is found.     

Response of triafol-TN plastic track detectors to238U-ions

Triafol-TN plastic detector foils have been irradiated with²³⁸U ions of energy 16.34 MeV/u and the tracks produced have been observed using the chemical etching technique. The bulk etch rate and track etch rate are determined under successive chemical etching. In our case, the validity of Arrhenius’s law is confirmed by the fact that the same value ofE _a obtained for these different concentrations, within experimental errors. The results show a linear correlation between the measured track etch rate along the track and the corresponding total energy loss rate and a threshold value of ～ 5.0 MeV/(mg/cm²) for track registration was obtained. The maximum etched track length of²³⁸U-ion in triafol-TN has been compared with the theoretically computed range.     

Response of Makrofol polycarbonate plastic track detector to 1.1 MeV/N 54 132 Xe-ion

Makrofol polycarbonate plastic track detectors have been exposed to ₅₄ ¹³² Xe -ions of energy 1.1 MeV/N from the cyclotron beam. The bulk etch rate and track etch rate are measured for different temperatures and the activation energies are calculated. The maximum etched track length is compared with the theoretically computed range. The critical energy loss is (dE/dx) _c =5 MeV cm² mg⁻¹ for this detector material.     

Track revelation and optical properties of pentaerythritol tetrakis (allyl carbonate) plastic for application as nuclear track detector: effects of gamma radiations

The etching conditions of an indigenously prepared thin film of pentaerythritol tetrakis(allyl carbonate) (PETAC) were standardised for the use as a nuclear track detector. The optimum etching times in 6?N NaOH at 70°C for the appearance of fission and alpha tracks recorded in this detector from a ²⁵²Cf solid source were found to be 30 min and 1.50?h, respectively. The experimentally determined values for the bulk and track-etch rates for this detector in 6?N NaOH at 70°C were found to be 1.7?±?0.1 and 88.4?±?10.7?µm/h, respectively. From these results, the important track etching properties such as the critical angle of etching, the sensitivity and the fission track registration efficiency were calculated and compared with the commercially available detectors. The activation energy value for bulk etching calculated by applying Arrhenius equation to the bulk etch rates of the detector determined at different etching temperatures was found to be 0.86?±?0.02?eV. This compares very well with the value of about 1.0?eV reported for most commonly used track detectors. The effects of gamma irradiation on this new detector in the dose range of 200–1000?kGy have also been studied using bulk etch rate technique. The activation energy values for bulk etching calculated from bulk etch rates measurements at different temperatures were found to decrease with the increase in gamma dose indicating scission of the detector due to gamma irradiation. The optical band gap of this detector was also determined using UV–visible spectrometry and the value was found to be 4.37?±?0.05?eV.     

Measurement of the track etch rates along proton and alpha particle trajectories in CR-39 and calculation of the detection efficiency

Computation of the neutron response of CR-39 detectors needs to simulate the track formation by neutron induced charged particles taking into account the bulk etch rate and the track etch rate varying along the particle trajectories. The latter one was determined experimentally by track length measurement. The results allowed to derive the relationship between the track etch rate and the restricted energy loss of the charged particles. On this basis, the geometrical track parameters and track etch rates as well as the critical angle of particle incidence could be determined for protons and alpha particles in the energy range from 0.2 to 8.8 MeV. The energy dependence of the critical angle enabled to determine the detection efficiency for a charged particle of given energy and direction.     

On the response of LR-115 plastic track detector to 10 20 Ne-ion

The track etch rates of ₁₀ ²⁰ Ne-ion in cellulose nitrate (LR-115) have been measured for different temperatures and the activation energy is determined. The experimental results show that both the track etch rate and the normalized track etch rate depend on the energy loss as well as on etching temperature. The maximum etched track length of ₁₀ ²⁰ Ne-ion agrees with the theoretically computed range. The experimental results show that there is no sharp threshold, at least in CN(LR-115).     

Computation of etched track profiles in CR-39 and comparison with experimental results for light ions of different kinds and energies

Computation of etched track profiles needs the knowledge of the variable track etch rates along the ion trajectories. Using the depth-dependent track etch rates experimentally determined for perpendicularly incident protons, deuterons and alpha particles as well as ⁷Li, ¹¹B, ¹²C, ¹⁴N and ¹⁶O ions of different energies simulations of the track development were performed. Two models of track etching were applied for that purpose recently published in literature. Although the models are based on the same physical fundamentals the results are slightly different. The reasons of the discrepancies were found by analysing the algorithms in detail. Comparison of the calculated track profiles with those determined experimentally from longitudinal sections of the etch pits showed good agreement for non-overetched as well as overetched tracks. The consistency of the whole experimental data set was checked by analysing the correlation of the track etch rates with geometric track parameters for all kinds of ions and etching times covered by the experiments.     

SHI induced nano track polymer filters and characterization

Swift heavy ion irradiation produces damage in polymers in the form of latent tracks. Latent tracks can be enlarged by etching it in a suitable etchant and thus nuclear track etch membrane can be formed for gas permeation / purification in particular for hydrogen where the molecular size is very small. By applying suitable and controlled etching conditions well defined tracks can be formed for specific applications of the membranes. After etching gas permeation method is used for characterizing the tracks. In the present work polycarbonate (PC) of various thickness were irradiated with energetic ion beam at Inter University Accelerator Centre (IUAC), New Delhi. Nuclear tracks were modified by etching the PC in 6N NaOH at 60 (±1) °C from both sides for different times to produce track etch membranes. At critical etch time the etched pits from both the sides meet a rapid increase in gas permeation was observed. Permeability of hydrogen and carbon dioxide has been measured in samples etched for different times. The latent tracks produced by SHI irradiation in the track etch membranes show enhancement of free volume of the polymer. Nano filters are separation devices for the mixture of gases, different ions in the solution and isotopes and isobars separations. The polymer thin films with controlled porosity finding it self as best choice. However, the permeability and selectivity of these polymer based membrane filters are very important at the nano scale separation. The Swift Heavy Ion (SHI) induced nuclear track etched polymeric films with controlled etching have been attempted and characterized as nano scale filters.      

基于智能算法的CR39径迹刻蚀过程模拟

CR39可以用于激光等离子物理实验中的离子探测,并给出离子数目、种类和能量信息。通过采用唯象模型,利用离子在CR39中径迹形成的阻止本领动力学方程以及粒子群智能算法对径迹形成的过程进行了数值化模拟,研究了CR39中离子径迹在刻蚀过程中的演化过程,获得了入射离子能量和径迹直径、深度的对应关系,并且发现当离子射程与刻蚀深度相等时,径迹深度最大,给出了利用总刻蚀时间计算最大径迹深度对应的临界能量的公式。     

The effect of gamma irradiation on the activation energy of bulk and track etching in Lexan track detector

Various studies have been performed to determine the response of Lexan polymer to gamma irradiations. The track recording properties of certain polymers are changed under the influence of electromagnetic radiations and environmental conditions. In the present work, the effect of gamma irradiation on the activation energies of bulk and track etching in case of Lexan samples have been investigated. The attempt has also been made to study the influence of temperature on the bulk and track etch rates of gamma irradiated polymer. The studies reveal an increase in the bulk and track etches rates with gamma-dose. However, the activation energy associated with track and bulk etch rates at a given temperature and at a constant concentration decreases with gamma-dose.     

Studies on the track formation mechanism of the heavy ions in CR-39

The bulk etch rate for two types of CR-39 detector was measured as a function of temperature and the activation energies of bulk etching was determined. Experimental values of track etch rate were derived directly from the function of the succesive measured track length vrs. etching time for ²⁰⁹Bi, ¹²⁹Xe and ²⁰Ne ions.

The maximum etchable length of 13 MeV/u ²⁰⁹Bi and 13.04 MeV/u ¹²⁹Xe ions have been measured at and below these energies. A comparison of the measured and calculated track length data is presented.     

Calibration study on the triton response of CR-39 track detector

Triton response of the CR-39 track detector has been studied at energy ranges below 2.7 MeV. Triton irradiation was made both on the top and the well polished side surface of the CR-39 sample sheets, using ⁶Li(n,t)⁴He reaction in a thermal neutron field. At large residual ranges more than 10 μm, fine results of etch rate ratio were obtained by analysing the growth curves of etch-pit radius on the top surface. But the response at near the track end-point could not be obtained well in this method, as a result of the missing track effect. Clearly resolved response at short residual ranges was attained by means of the shape analysis of the etch-pit profile observed on the side surface.     

Effects of low-LET radiations on CR-39 track detector

The effects of Co-60 gamma-rays and about 25-MeV pulsed electrons have been investigated on CR-39 plastic nuclear track detector. The bulk etch rate was measured as a function of the absorbed dose under three different irradiation conditions; gamma-ray exposure in air at the dose rate of 6 kGy/h, that in vacuum and electron shower in air at 126 kGy/h on average. It was found that the bulk etch rate (V) increased nearly exponentially with the dose (D); V=V₀exp(kD), and the characteristic parameter (k) was 35, 9 and 12 MGy⁻¹, respectively. It is considered that a lack of oxygen in damage formation processes could occur momentarily during a short electron pulse, just similarly to the vacuum effect of reduction in track etch rates in outgassed CR-39 plastic.     

Effect of neutron irradiation on etching,optical and structural properties of microscopic glass slide used as a solid state nuclear track detector

Microscopic glass slides are soda-lime glasses which are readily available and are easy to manufacture with low production cost. The application of these glasses as nuclear track detector will help us to make use of these glasses as solid-state nuclear track detector. The present paper describes the variation in the etching, optical and structural properties of the soda-lime microscopic glass slides due to neutron irradiation of different fluences. The color transformation and an increase in the optical absorption with neutron irradiation are observed. Both the bulk and track etch rates are found to increase with neutron fluence, thus showing a similar dependence on neutron fluence, but the sensitivity remains almost constant.     

Determination of the depth of an etch pit through studies of diffraction rings

A Solid State Nuclear Track Detector (SSNTD) can be used to identify an impinging ion as well as to determine the energy of that ion. The track of the ion is made visible by chemically ‘etching’ the detector after exposure. By finding out the ratio of the track-etch rate (V_t) to the bulk-etch rate (V_g), together with the range of the ion in the detector, the identity and the energy of the ion can be ascertained. The required measurements can be conveniently made with the help of a microscope when the angle of incidence of the ion, with respect to the normal direction to the detector surface, is more than 15°. For normal or near normal incidence, uncertainties plague the measurement of the depth of the etch pit and hence the range of the particle. Through this article we wish to suggest an alternative method of assessment, based on the observation of diffraction rings, of the depth of an etch pit.     

Status of ion track technology—Prospects of single tracks

A glimpse on the present status of ion track technology is provided: irradiation, etching and electro-replication of single and multiple ion tracks. The uses of an electrolytic cell for single and counted track studies are sketched. In connection with a data acquisition system such a device enables to determine in real-time: track and bulk etch rate, cone angle, and size. Processing can be terminated at a preset time, current, diameter, or length (of wires). The system can be used to rapidly screen new track materials, etchants, and electro-replication processes.     

Post-irradiation sensitization of CR-39 track detector in carbon dioxide atmosphere

The effect of post-irradiation treatment of CR-39 track detector in carbon dioxide atmosphere on the alpha particle registration sensitivity was investigated. Significant increase in etch rate ratio for 6.1 MeV ²⁵²Cf alpha particle was observed. The sensitization increasedboth as a function of trating time and as a function of carbon dioxide pressure in the treating vessel. Energy dependence of the sensitization was found to be small in the 2–9 MeV alpha particle energy interval. Fading of latent tracks after the sensitization process was slow in a one day period. Pre-irradiation treatment in carbon dioxide showed also some sensitization, though to a lesser extent than post-irradiation treatment. However, exposing CR-39 alpha particles in pure carbon dioxide atmosphere resulted in dramatic decrease in sensitivity. The role of dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide in the primary latent track formation and in post-irradiation latent track transformation is discussed. Potential influence of the application of sensitization of CR-39 in radon, neutron and cosmic ray charged particle dosimetry is also discussed.     

The dependence of the mass identification scale on different track formation models

From the very beginning of solid state track detector measurements two track formation theories were used: the models of the restricted energy loss (RED and the primary ionization (PI). Both theories include different adjustable parameters. Performing the calibration at the same ion (e.g. Fe) the differences of the mass determination as a function of charge for both track formation theories will be shown. The calculations will be compared with experimental data.     

The effect of post-exposure annealing on the track registeration characteristics of CR-39 nuclear track detectors

The effect of post exposure annealing on the track registeration characteristics of CR-39 (Pershore) Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors has been studied. The changes introduced in the bulk etch rates, track diameter, and the track density have been observed. The results indicate that the bulk etch rate of the detectors and the size of the tracks are considerably changed due to annealing. Variations in the track density are, however, not serious in the presently studied temperature range.