Calibration of a solid state nuclear track detector (SSNTD) with high detection threshold to search for rare events in cosmic rays

Abstract

We have investigated a commercially available polymer for its suitability as a solid state nuclear track detector (SSNTD). We identified that polymer to be polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and found that it has a higher detection threshold compared to many other widely used SSNTDs which makes this detector particularly suitable for rare event search in cosmic rays as it eliminates the dominant low Z background. Systematic studies were carried out to determine its charge response which is essential before any new material can be used as an SSNTD. In this paper we describe the charge response of PET to 129 Xe, 78 Kr and 49 Ti ions from the REX-ISOLDE facility at CERN, present the calibration curve for PET and characterize it as a nuclear track detector.

A comparative study of alternative methods to determine the response of poly-ethylene terephthalate nuclear track detector

“…In previous calibration campaigns, PET films had been irradiated with 238 U, 129 Xe, 78 Kr, 49 Ti beams at REX-ISOLDE CERN [17]; 56 Fe, 32 S, 16 O beams at IUAC [24]; 12 C beam at IOP [25]. In Fig.…”

Laser-Induced Plasma and its Applications

“…For instance, the detector of CR-39 is suitable for the detection of protons, deuterons and alpha detection due to high sensitivity of CR-39 material towards these particles. Once the SSNTD material is exposed to charged particles, these particles leave narrow damage trails on their passage through SSNTDs [27]. These damage trails represent regions of enhanced chemical activity as compared with bulk material due to disorders in the structure caused by the charged particles, which in turn are associated with large free energy.…”

“…The resulting etch pits can be approximated by geometrical cones with the damage trails as axes. The study of etchpit geometry and determination of the range of particles in the detector provides the identification of the particles creating the tracks and energies of particles [27].…”

Simultaneous Observation of Cells and Nuclear Tracks from the Boron Neutron Capture Reaction by UV-C Sensitization of Polycarbonate

“…SSNTD have been used for multiple applications since their first description by Young (1958), including radon and uranium dosimetry (e.g., Stegnar et al, 2013; Hadad et al, 2013), personal neutron dosimetry (e.g., Djeffal et al, 1997; Saint Martin et al, 2011), and detection of cosmic rays (e.g., Dey et al, 2011). One of the outstanding applications includes mapping heavy particle emitters in mineral and biological materials (e.g., Armijo and Rosenbaum 1967; Bersina et al, 1995; Thellier et al, 2001, Rodrigues et al, 2013; Chauhan & Chauhan, 2014).…”

“…Images formed by nuclear tracks in SSNTD have been extensively used to study the spatial distribution of boron for many years (e.g., Thellier et al, 1976; Larsson et al, 1984; Abe et al, 1986; Wittig et al, 2008). In our laboratory, the technique to obtain neutron autoradiographies of BNCT tissue samples in polycarbonate detectors was fully developed (Portu et al, 2011 a , 2013). This method is being applied to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze boron distribution and concentration in different experimental models (e.g., Portu et al, 2011 b ; Molinari et al, 2015).…”