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Solid State Nuclear Track Detector




The basis of solid state nuclear track detection is that charged particles damage the detector within nanometers along the track in such a way that the track can be etched many times faster than the undamaged material. Etching, typically for several hours, enlarges the damage to conical pits of micrometer dimensions, that can be observed with a microscope. For a given type of particle, the length of the track gives the energy of the particle. The charge can be determined from the etch rate of the track compared to that of the bulk. If the particles enter the surface at normal incidence, the pits are circular; otherwise the Ellipticity and orientation of the elliptical pit mouth indicate the direction of incidence.

SSNTDs are commonly used to study Cosmic Ray s, long-lived Radioactive Element s, Radon concentration in houses, and the age of geological samples.

A material commonly used in SSNTDS is Polyallyl Diglycol Carbonate (PADC), also known as Tastrak, CR-39 and CR39. It is a clear, colorless, rigid plastic with the chemical formula C12H18O7. Etching is usually performed in solutions of caustic alkalis such as Sodium Hydroxide , often at elevated temperatures for several hours.


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