Dependence of Sensitivity of Different Plastic Track Detectors on Etching Temperature

Exposures of Cellulose nitrate (Russian) CN (R) and Makrofol-E polycarbonate plastic track detectors to different ions have been obtained from the cyclotron at JINR, Dubna (USSR). In this study 12C, 16O, 20Ne, 40Ar, 50Ti-ions different energies are used as energetic heavy ions for track formation in the detectors. The chemical etching is carried out in stirred (6.00 ± 0.05) N NaOH solution. The dependence of bulk etch rate, Vb and track etch rate, Vt on etching temperature, T is exponential and can be expressed by Arrhenius correlation. The dependence of activation energy for track etching, Et on mass A of the bombarding ion is studied. The experimental results show that for CN(R) both Vt and reduced etch rate, V=Vt / Vb along the trajectory of the particle depend on etching temperature. For Makrofol-E, Vt depends on etching temperature but V is independent of etching temperature. It is observed that the tracks of heavy ions etch faster. Using theoretical equations and with the help of computer the energy-loss, dE/dx US Vt curves are drawn for different etching temperatures. The dependence of "Sensitivity" [(V-I) VS Z] of the detectors on etching temperature is also shown. It is evident from these figures that the sensitivity of CN(R) depends strongly on etching temperature while that of Makrofol E is independent of etching temperature.