Comprehensive analysis of binary events in heavy ion reactions observed with dielectric track detectors

The dielectric track detectors are very efficient in registering the main fragments of a heavy ion reaction in the presence of lightly ionizing products and γ-radiations because of their threshold nature of registration and wide-angle acceptance. The binary events, revealed after chemical etching of these detectors, appear as the events having two correlated prongs in the body of the detector. The measurements of the geometrical parameters of these prongs provide the necessary data for subsequent kinematical analysis. We have made a thorough analysis of the two-pronged events in order to understand the physical mechanism of their production, using the track data from the reactions,     

Response of cellulose nitrate track detectors to electron doses

In order to study alternative dose determination methods, the bulk etching velocity and the latent track annealing of LR 115 track detectors was studied during electron irradiation runs from a Pelletron accelerator. For this purpose alpha irradiated and blank detectors were exposed to increasing electron doses from 10.5 to 317.5 kGy. After the irradiation with electrons the detectors were etched under routine conditions, except for the etching time, that was varied for each electron dose in order to reach a fixed residual thickness. The variation of the bulk etching velocity as a function of each one of the electron doses supplied, was interpolated in order to obtain dosimetric response curves. The observed annealing effect on the latent tracks is discussed as a function of the total electron doses supplied and the temperature.     

Laser detection of optical signals

A scheme is proposed for detecting optical signals in which electrons bound in atoms, molecules, or ions are used as a sensitive element rather than free electrons, as in conventional detectors (photoelements, photomultipliers, etc.). It is shown that such a scheme has a high sensitivity and a reduced shot-noise level.     

γ-Ray (and electron) induced annealing of nuclear tracks in polymeric detectors

Energy loss profiles for secondary electrons and γ-rays are discussed and the interactions of γ-rays with the activated species within the core of a nuclear track investigated. Based on an electron-hole trapping mechanism experimental values for the activation energies of annealing for nuclear tracks in the range of 0.26 to 0.5 eV have been obtained. These compare favourably with theoretical expectations. The consequences of variations in the detection sensitivities of such detectors are discussed.     

Monte Carlo simulation of radon SSNT detectors

A Monte Carlo based software for the computation of the sensitivity of etched radon track detectors was developed. It can be applied to the measurement of radon and radon daughters in free air or inside of a measurement chamber. LR 115 and CR-39 detectors, with or without an attenuator, are specifically addressed. Various etching conditions and observation criteria for counting the track density may be specified. The latent track formation and the etching process are realistically modelled. The dependence of the etch-rate ratio on the energy is taken into account. The plate-out phenomenon is included in the model. An inhomogeneous source distribution in the detector cup can be considered.     

Neutron dosimetric measurements in shuttle and MIR

Detector packages consisting of thermoluminescence detectors (TLD), nuclear emulsions and plastic track detectors were exposed at identical positions inside MIR space station and on shuttle flights inside Spacelab and Spacehab during different phases of the solar cycle. The objectives of the investigations are to provide data on charge and energy spectra of heavy ions, and the contribution of events with low-energy deposit (protons, electrons, gamma, etc.) to the dose, as well as the contribution of secondaries, such as nuclear disintegration stars and neutrons. For neutron dosimetry 6LiF (TLD600) and 7LiF (TLD700) chips were used both of which have almost the same response to gamma rays but different response to neutrons. Neutrons in space are produced mainly in evaporation and knock-on processes with energies mainly of 1-10 MeV and up to several 100 MeV, respectively. The energy spectrum undergoes continuous changes toward greater depth in the attenuating material until an equilibrium is reached. In equilibrium, the spectrum is a wide continuum extending down to thermal energies to which the 6LiF is sensitive. Based on the difference of absorbed doses in the 6LiF and 7LiF chips, thermal neutron fluxes from 1 to 2.3 cm-2 s-1 are calculated using the assumption that the maximum induced dose in TLD600 for 1 neutron cm-2 is 1.6 x 10(-10) Gy (Horowitz and Freeman, Nucl. Instr. and Meth. 157 (1978) 393). It is assumed that the flux of high-energy neutrons is at least of that quantity. Tissue doses were calculated taking as a mean ambient absorbed dose per neutron 6 x10(-12) Gy cm2 (for a10 MeV neutron). The neutron equivalent doses for the above-mentioned fluxes are 52 micro Gy d-1 and 120 micro Gy d-1. In recent experiments, a personal neutron dosimeter was integrated into the dosimeter packages. First results of this dosimeter which is based on nuclear track detectors with converter foils are reported. For future measurements, a scintillator counter with anticoincidence logic is under development.     

On the question of nuclear track formation in plastic material

A review is given about nuclear track formation in plastic track detectors. The radiation damage of heavy ions around the latent tracks is studied using measurements of radial track etch rates in Å-dimensions.     

两体衰变径迹

在19MeV/u ⁴⁰Ar+²⁰⁹Bi反应中,云母片固体径迹探测器记录了几例连续两次衰变径迹.分析表明,这些事件两次衰变的时间间隔约为10^－13s.根据位垒穿透的WKB理论,这样的裂变是可能的.     

DIP angle dependence on track formation sensitivity in antioxidant doped CR-39 plates

Recently, space radiation dosimetry measurements were made by passive and active detectors inside the Spacelab [STS-47 (FMPT): 300km, 57°, STS-65 (IML-2 mission): 300km, 28.5°]. The LET distributions obtained by antioxidant doped CR-39 inside the Spacelab were compared with those measured by the tissue equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) and the real time radiation monitoring device (RRMD) consisting of eight silicon detectors. While both distributions by CR-39 are in good agreement with those obtained by active detectors over the region of LET of several tens to 200 keV/μm, a significant difference in the LET region of smaller than several tens keV/μm is seen. It is considered to be caused by the dip angle dependence of track formation sensitivity in CR-39. The track formation sensitivity for different dip angle were measured for several high heavy energy ions. Using these results, the correction for the dip angle was made for the LET distribution. The corrected result is consistent with the results obtained by active detectors.     

Diffraction filters based on polyimide and poly(ethylene naphthalate) track membranes

The problem of optical filters for soft x rays and extreme ultraviolet that provide a high degree of blocking ultraviolet and visible background radiations is considered. The subject of discussion is the filter based on a track membrane, a polymer film with micrometer and submicrometer pores, rather than the standard thin-film system. It is proposed that the membranes be made of poly(ethylene naphthalate) or polyimide, the UV absorption edge of which lies near the boundary of the visible range. The properties of poly(ethylene naphthalate) and polyimide membranes are contrasted with those of conventional porous poly(ethylene terephthalate) films, which are obtained by ion track etching. The spectral characteristics of poly(ethylene naphthalate) and polyimide films, as well as the formation of “track” pores when the specimens are successively treated by fast ions and chemicals, are studied. The basic parameters of the resulting porous structures are examined, and treatment conditions under which desired optical properties of the membranes are achieved are found. Filters based on poly(ethylene naphthalate) and polyimide track membranes may be applied in x-ray astronomy as constituents of detectors incorporated into solar telescopes and in experiments with the laboratory plasma.     

Swelling and structure of radiation induced near-surface damage in CR-39 and its chemical etching

Systematic measurements of swelling of CR-39 nuclear track detector (NTD) due to irradiation with fission fragments and alpha particles over a wide range of fluences from ²⁵²Cf are presented here. Precisely designed and optimized exposure and chemical etching experiments were employed to unfold the structure of radiation induced surface damage. Delays in the startup of the chemical etching of latent tracks in low radiation fluence detectors are measured and are found to contain important information about structure of the surface damage. Simple atomic scale pictures of radiation induced surface damage and its chemical etching are developed using measurements of radiation induced swelling of CR-39 detectors and nuclear track parameters. The computer code SRIM2010 was utilized for the calculations of basic features of latent tracks of fission fragments and alpha particles in CR-39. Another computer code TRACK_VISION was used to compute parameters of etched tracks. Computations and experimental findings in the paper coherently compose a realistic picture of radiation damage.     

Ion-induced electron production in tissue-like media and DNA damage mechanisms

This work is the first stage in the development of an inclusive approach to calculation of the DNA damage caused by irradiation of biological tissue by ion/proton beams. The project starts with an analysis of ionization caused by the projectiles and the characteristics of secondary electrons produced in tissue-like media. We consider interactions with the medium on a microscopic level and this allows us to obtain the energy spectrum and abundance of secondary electrons as functions of the projectile’s kinetic energy. The physical information obtained in this analysis is related to biological processes responsible for the DNA damage induced by the projectile. In particular, we consider double strand breaks of DNA caused by secondary electrons and free radicals, and local heating in the ion’s track. The heating may enhance the biological effectiveness of electron/free radical nteractions with the DNA and may even be considered as an independent mechanism of DNA damage. Numerical estimates are performed for the case of carbon-ion beams. The obtained dose-depth curves are compared with results of the MCHIT model based on the GEANT4 toolkit.     

Geometry of etched charged particle tracks in crystalline detectors

Studies on the shape of etched fission tracks in crystalline detectors show that the track geometry carries valuable information on the crystal structure of the detector involved. The geometry of the etched tracks in crystalline detectors is a prism formed of certain crystal planes. In mica detectors, for given etching conditions the type and number of the planes depend on the incident angle and the extent of the radiation damage along the track. In a single track the type of crystal planes forming the track prism may change along the track resulting in dramatic variations of the track geometry at certain depth of focus.     

Nuclear reactions in the Pd/PdO:D<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> and Ti/TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>:D<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> systems excited by ionizing radiation

The yield of the products of nuclear reactions from deuterated palladium and titanium irradiated by an electron beam and X rays has been studied. Charged particles have been detected by CR-39 track detectors, which are not sensitive to electronic noise, electrons, and X-ray photons. To identify the type of particles and to estimate their energy, three detectors covered by aluminum and copper foils of various thicknesses have been used. It has been established with reliable statistics that 30-keV electrons and X rays initiate the synthesis of deuterons in the Pd/PdO:D _x and Ti/TiO₂:D _x systems with the yield of 3-MeV protons.     

Influence of intensive γ and electron radiation on tracks formation in the PM-355 detectors

Solid-state nuclear track detectors have found wide use in various domains of science and technology, e.g. in plasma experiments. The track detectors used in the fusion-oriented experiments encounter “harsh” conditions (intense X-ray and neutron radiation, heat impact, shock waves and plasma fluxes). Therefore, such detectors should be tested under similar conditions. This paper concerns influence of electron and γ radiation on the track formation in PM-355 detectors. Samples were irradiated with 1.5-MeV protons and ⁴He-ions, and with 5.5 MeV particles. After that they were exposed to γ and electron radiation. Irradiation doses were varied from 100 kGy up to 2000 kGy. The etching was performed in steps, and a bulk etching rate (V_B) was determined versus an absorbed dose of electron and gamma radiation.     

FT-IR spectroscopy of carbon dioxide in CR-39 and SR-90 track detectors irradiated with ions and gamma-rays at different energies and fluences

Two types of polymeric track detectors CR-39 and SR-90 were irradiated with protons, alpha particles, heavy ions and gamma-rays at different energies and fluences. After irradiation these detectors were analyzed with an FT-IR spectrometer of Jasco type 5300 in transmission and ATR modes. We have found that CO₂ is produced not only by irradiation but also by polymerization. The amount of CO₂ in the detector material is closely related to the latent track formation.     

A study on the etching properties of electron-irradiated plastic track detectors

The variations of the bulk etching rate of electron-bombarded CN, CA, CAB, PC and PET sheets were studied as a function of electron dose and etching temperature. A conclusion was made that in the plastics under study a radiation-damaged region produced, either by an electron beam or a heavily ionizing nuclear particle display, to a certain extent, analogous etching properties. It was shown that the ratio of the etching rates of an electron-bombarded and an unirradiated sheet increases with the increase of the etching temperature for PC and PET, and with the decrease of etching temperature for CN and CA. Similar temperature dependences were obtained for the ratio of track– and bulk-etching rates (i.e. for registration sensitivity) if the plastic sheets were irradiated with heavier nuclear particles. Our results seem to confirm the assumption that the delta electrons may play an important role in the formation of primary nuclear particle tracks in plastic track detectors.     

A superhigh energy particle detector based on using the radiation of a particle in a laminar medium

Experimental results for two types of detectors, that use resonance radiation of electrons with energies of 2.8 and 3.7 GeV in a laminar medium are presented. The detectors are tested in an experiment in selecting electrons from a π⁻-meson beam; about 50% efficiency is achieved.     

Measurements of the high energy neutron component of cosmic radiation fields in aircraft using etched track dosemeters

Measurements of the complex cosmic radiation field in aircraft at altitude are made with a passive survey meter comprising routine-use thermoluminescent detectors and etched track detectors. The energy dependence of response of the etched track detectors used to determine the neutron component has been characterized, partly, up to a neutron energy of 180 MeV. The neutron detectors are routinely calibrated in the CERN/EC Reference Field. The 15% determination level for total dose equivalent is 100 microSv. The evidence is that the passive survey meter provides a reliable determination of route dose.     

Sensitization of polymeric track detectors with carbon dioxide

The effect of CO₂ on the sensitivity of polymeric track detectors was studied. It has been found that the sensitivity of SR-90 is dependent on the amount of CO₂ dissolved in the polymer at the time of etching. It has been also found that CR-39 can be sensitized to some extent with an aging in CO₂. Since the sensitization in CO₂ is possible even a long time after the irradiation, the mechanism of the latent track formation by CO₂ is quite different from that by O₂. This would be the key to achieve the long term stability of polymeric track detectors such as SR-90 and CR-39.