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Laser-heating and Radiance Spectrometry for the Study of Nuclear Materials in Conditions Simulating a Nuclear Power Plant Accident
Published on: December 14, 2017
Influence of high temperature on solid state nuclear track detector parameters.
A Malinowska1, A Szydłowski, M Jaskóła
1National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ), Otwock 05-400, Poland. a.malinowska@ncbj.gov.pl
The Review of Scientific Instruments
|October 2, 2012
Summary
High temperatures significantly alter nuclear tracks in CR-39/PM-355 detectors. Heating affects track etch rates for protons and alpha particles, impacting detector performance.
Area of Science:
- Solid-state nuclear track detection.
- Materials science.
- Radiation detection.
Background:
- Solid-state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs) like CR-39/PM-355 are sensitive to environmental factors.
- High temperatures can potentially alter the latent tracks formed by charged particles in detector materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of elevated temperatures on particle-induced tracks in CR-39/PM-355 detectors.
- To quantify the effect of thermal treatment on track characteristics and etch rates.
Main Methods:
- Irradiation of CR-39/PM-355 samples with protons and alpha particles.
- Controlled heating of irradiated samples at various temperatures and durations.
- Etching of detector samples and analysis of track evolution using optical microscopy.
- Measurement of bulk etch rate (V(B)) and track etch rate (V(T)) as a function of temperature.
Main Results:
- Heating significantly influences the bulk etch rate (V(B)) of PM-355 material.
- Track etch rate (V(T)) for proton and alpha particle tracks shows a temperature-dependent variation.
- Observed changes in track diameter and morphology after thermal treatment.
Conclusions:
- Elevated temperatures demonstrably affect the properties of tracks in CR-39/PM-355 detectors.
- Understanding thermal effects is crucial for accurate track analysis and detector application.
- The study provides quantitative data on the thermal sensitivity of CR-39/PM-355 for charged particle detection.
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