Tracks of 16.34 MeV/n ions in a stack of Makrofol-N plastic track detectors

Abstract

A stack of Makrofol-N (Bayer Co., Germany) plastic track detectors has been exposed to a well collimated beam of ions with initial energy of 16.34 MeV/n at UNILAC, Darmstadt (Germany). The effect of etching temperature on the etching characteristics of some solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs) has been investigated for the registration of ion tracks. An empirical relation between the etching temperature and the various etch rates has been established from the experimental data. A correlation between track etch rate and energy loss rate has been established which provides us with an understanding of the mechanism of track formation. The maximum etched lengths of ions have been experimentally measured using Makrofol-N track detectors. The corrected track lengths have been compared with the theoretical energy range calculations and are found to conform to them reasonably well.