The Physics of Track Registration in Solids

Abstract

During the last ten years many observations of charged particle tracks in solids have been reported, and the utilization of this phenomenon in several fields of physics has grown apace. For example, Fleischer, Price, Walker, and their many collaborators have demonstrated the usefulness of track formation as a tool in nuclear physics, radiation dosimetry, geochronology and cosmic-ray physics. All the more reason, then, that one should endeavour to understand the basic mechanisms of track production in different kinds of solids. To do this, one must investigate the relationship between stopping power and track formation, the nature of the damaged region comprising a track, and the annealing behavior of the tracks. The electron microscope can furnish much of the necessary information provided that one is able to interpret the diffraction-contrast image of the tracks.Linear damage regions have been found both in thin films and in bulk samples. While tracks appear in metallic and nonmetallic thin films they have only been found in nonmetallic bulk solids. The latter include a wide variety of plastics, glasses and minerals.