Factors affecting etching properties of CR-39 detector for alpha-particles.

Abstract

Several factors affecting the track registration performance of CR-39 detectors were studied, adopting as intermediate criterion of detector performance the diameters of etch pits left by normally-incident α-particles. Measures that have been proposed for enhancing detector performance, such as stirring and by ultrasonic vibration applied during etching have proved not to be effective: While these measures increased the etch pit diameters to some extent, the same measures were found to accelerate in keeping also the bulk etching rate, so that the increase observed in the etch pit diameters could not be attributed to enhancement of track registration sensitivity, which is the ultimate criterion of detector performance. Contamination of detector surface with finger grease transferred upon manipulation with bare hand proved not to influence even the intermediate criterion of etch pit diameter. Nor was this criterion influenced by the presence in etchant solution of etched products up to a concentration of 5 g/l. On the other hand, the etch pit diameters were found to be influenced beyond negligible extent by environmental factors such as humidity and temperature even within the range of normal variations occurring in the natural environment, and these factors thus require taking into account in order to ensure consistent measurements with CR-39 detector.