Determination of the energy limits and efficiency of track detectors for the formation of etched through tracks

Abstract

The energy limits for the formation of etched through tracks in plastic track detectors are calculated using track development kinetics for varying track etch rates. Using Monte Carlo calculations, it is shown that the energy limits and the efficiency of the detector are strongly dependent on the removed layer from the detector surface as well as on the thickness of the detector concerned. General empirical equations are given that relate the energy limits and the efficiency of LR-115 detectors to the removed thickness. The obtained results have important applications when track detectors are used in radon and neutron dosimetry, elemental mapping, charged particle activation analysis, and nuclear track microfilters.