Track etch velocity and chemical damages induced by ions in a cellulose nitrate detector

Abstract

We sum up here the results obtained on a cellulose nitrate detector (LR 115). LR 115 was irradiated with ions from proton and oxygen ions in the energy range 1–10 MeV/amu. Each irradiated sample consisted of a stack of several detectors (about 20–30) each 12 μ m thick. So chemical damages were studied according to the energy lost in each detector. Broken bonds were identified and quantified using infrared spectroscopy. In the same time we develop the same approach as proposed by Katz R. for the nuclear emulsion response. This approach is based on the hit theory, where the hits are produced by the secondary electrons removed by the incoming ion. Using this approach, neglecting any differences in the initial electron energy spectra and in the temporal aspect of energy deposition, it is surprising to simulate, with the very same parameters, the chemical cross sections from protons and oxygen ions.