Charge resolution of CR-39 plastic nuclear track detectors for intermediate energy heavy ions
Journal article, 2011

The charge resolution (delta Z) for heavy ions (nuclear charge: Z < 40) of 0.1-1 GeV/n energy in CR-39 plastic nuclear track detector (PNTD) and its dependence on etching time, and on projectile Z and energy were investigated and optimized as part of an effort to make precise measurements of projectile charge-changing cross sections. Two types of CR-39 PNTD, HARZLAS TD-1 and BARYOTRAK, were exposed to heavy ion beams with seven values of Z behind thick targets to produce projectile fragments. Following chemical etching (7 N NaOH at 70 degrees C) for varying etch times, delta Z of the projectiles was determined for each detector type. A strong dependence of delta Z on the amount of bulk etch (B) was seen. It was also observed that delta Z can be remarkably improved with longer etching time as a function of B-1/2, in accordance with the trend seen in other types of track detector such as glass nuclear track detector. However, for B >= 60 mu m (30 h etching), saturation occurs and there is no further improvement in delta Z. Analysis of the correlations between projectile Z, energy, detector response, and fluctuation of the response make it possible to develop a model to predict the delta Z for projectiles of given Z and energy. The predicted and measured values of delta Z show good agreement within 10%. We conclude that 4 <= Z <= 30 at intermediate energy can be identified with good delta Z in these detectors. The predictive model will be used in designing future cross section measurement experiments.

CR-39 nuclear track detector

Heavy ion

propagation

etch detectors

Charge-changing cross section

Charge resolution

fragmentation

production cross-sections

speed imaging microscope

hydrogen

cosmic-ray

cosmic ray

Galactic

relativistic ions

targets

Nuclear fragmentation

fe-56

galaxy

Author

S. Ota

Waseda University

National Institute of Radiological Sciences

N. Yasuda

National Institute of Radiological Sciences

Lembit Sihver

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Nuclear Engineering

S. Kodaira

National Institute of Radiological Sciences

M. Kurano

National Institute of Radiological Sciences

S. Naka

Waseda University

Y. Ideguchi

Waseda University

E. R. Benton

Oklahoma State University

N. Hasebe

Waseda University

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms

0168-583X (ISSN)

Vol. 269 12 1382-1388

Subject Categories

Physical Sciences

DOI

10.1016/j.nimb.2011.03.018

More information

Latest update

7/3/2020 1