C.W.Y. Yip

Effects of stirring on the bulk etch rate of CR-39 detector

Abstract It is well established that the bulk etch rates for solid state nuclear track detectors are affected by the concentration and the temperature of the etchant. Recently, we found that the bulk etch rate for the LR 115 detector to be affected by stirring during etching. In the present work, the effects of stirring on the bulk etch rate of the CR-39 detector is investigated. One set of sample was etched under continuous stirring by a magnetic stirrer at 70°C in a 6.25 N NaOH solution, while the other set of samples was etched without the magnetic stirrer. After etching, the bulk etch thickness was measured using Form Talysurf PGI (Taylor Hobson, Leicester, England). It was found that magnetic stirring did not affect the bulk etch of the CR-39 detector, which was in contrast to the results for the LR 115 detector.

A fast method to measure the thickness of removed layer from etching of SSNTD based on EDXRF

Abstract Solid state nuclear track detectors are commonly used for measurements of concentrations of radon gas and/or radon progeny. All these measurements depend critically on the thickness of the removed layer during etching. However, the thickness of removed layer calculated using the etching period does not necessarily provide a sufficiently accurate measure of the thickness. For example, the bulk etch rate depends on the strength of stirring during etching for the LR 115 detector. We propose here to measure the thickness of the removed layer by using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. In the present work, a reference silver nitrate pellet is placed beneath the LR 115 detector, and the fluorescence X-ray intensity for silver is then measured. We have found a linear relationship between the X-ray intensity and the thickness of the removed layer for LR 115 detector. This provides a fast method to measure the thickness of removed layer from etching of LR 115 detector. However, this method was found to be inapplicable for the CR-39 detector. Therefore, alternative methods have yet to be explored for the CR-39 detector.

Comparison among alpha-particle energy losses in air obtained from data of SRIM. ICRU and experiments

Abstract In the present work, we compare the alpha-particle energy losses in air obtained from experiments and from stopping powers given in Report 49 of the International Commission of Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU49) and Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter-2000 (SRIM-2000). The alpha energy losses have been experimentally determined for both 241Am and 230Th sources using alpha spectroscopy; such losses are observed to deviate significantly from the calculated ones. The deviations suggested that the stopping powers given by SRIM-2000 might be too high and those given by ICRU might be even higher.

Deposition fractions of 218Po in diffusion chambers

After radon gas diffuses into a diffusion chamber, 218Po will be formed. Due to its short half-life, a fraction f of 218Po decays before deposition onto available inner surfaces of the chamber, and the deposition fraction (1-f) represents the part which decays after deposition. In the present work, f has been experimentally determined for six diffusion chambers with different materials and dimensions using the radial distribution of track density on the LR115 detectors inside the diffusion chambers. For all the six studied diffusion chambers, f was found to be approximately 0.4. Therefore, the deposition fraction does not depend on the shape and dimensions of the diffusion chambers, the surface to volume ratios or the internal surface materials of the diffusion chambers.

Measurement of bulk etch rate of LR115 detector with atomic force microscopy

Abstract Equations for calculating track parameters have been proposed, which invariably involve the track etch rate Vt and the bulk etch rate Vb. The present study measured Vb for the LR115 solid-state nuclear track detector using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The detectors were partially masked using rubber cement and then etched in 2.5 N NaOH solution at 60°C for time periods ranging from 5 to 40 min . The rubber cement was then peeled off and cross-sectional images of the LR115 detectors were obtained by AFM. Vb has been found to have different values below and beyond the etching time of about 13.5 min , with the values of 0.0555 and 0.0875 μm min −1 , respectively. The increase in Vb with the etching time can be explained by a diffusion-etch model, in which the additional damage of the detector material is due to those etchant ions diffused into the detector over time. Now that Vb has been determined, this can be combined with the track etch rate Vt to calculate track parameters.

Feasibility and limitation of track studies using atomic force microscopy

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been employed to investigate characteristics of tracks of heavy charged particles in solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs). In the present work, we have performed simulations of the track structures revealed by AFM based only on geometrical considerations of the tracks and two types of probes (the ultralever and the ultrahigh aspect ration probe). The purpose of this work is to determine the limitations and constraints of the AFM technique when it is applied to track investigations. The ultralever has comparable dimensions as the tracks in SSNTDs etched for a short time. In some cases, the ultralever is too large or its geometry does not match those of the tracks, so these tracks cannot be scanned properly. In most cases, the ultralever can measure the diameter of the tracks with a rather high precision, but measurements of the depths can be misleading if the track depths are larger than the length of the ultralever. The ultrahigh aspect ratio probe, with an aspect ratio better than 10:1, can record tracks with rather high accuracy if the track depths are not larger than probe length. The technique involving the mounting of nanotubes on AFM tips, which has become available in recent years, should be able to record almost perfect track profiles.

Study of inhomogeneity in thickness of LR 115 detector with SEM and Form Talysurf

Abstract Long-term measurements of radon progeny concentrations using Solid-State nuclear tract detector are being actively explored. These measurements depend critically on the thickness of the removed layer during etching. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations have identified irregularities in etched LR 115 detectors, such as detachment of the active layer from the substrate and formation of air gaps in the substrate. After discarding these irregularities, by using “Form Talysurf” surface profile measurements, the thickness of the active layers for the LR 115 detector are found to be 11.8±0.2 and 5.0±0.4 μm before and after 2 h of etching, respectively. The coefficient of variation has thus risen from 1.7% to 8.0% on etching. The increased inhomogeneity is explained by the formation of track-like damages, which have been observed using Form Talysurf, SEM, optical microscope and atomic force microscope. With this relative large coefficient of variation, the thickness of the active layer in the LR 115 detector cannot be assumed to be homogeneous in general, and the associated uncertainties should be considered carefully when the detector is used for alpha spectroscopy.

Differentiation between tracks and damages in SSNTD under the atomic force microscope

Abstract We have observed three-dimensional sponge-like structures as well as strips of connecting pits on the surface of the LR 115 detector after etching, which can be confused with the small tracks formed after short etching time. We have employed an atomic force microscope (AFM) to study these “damages” as well as genuine alpha tracks for short etching time. It was found that while the track and damage openings could be similar in size and shape, the depths for the damages were consistently smaller. Therefore, the depth of the pits will serve as a clear criterion to differentiate between tracks and other damages. The ability to discriminate between genuine tracks from other damages is most important for etching for short time intervals.

Sensitivity of LR115 detector in diffusion chamber to 222Rn in the presence of 220Rn

Determination has been made of the sensitivity of LR115 type 2-track detectors (in units of m) to 222Rn, measured in the presence of 220Rn. Measurements have been made by means of a widely used diffusion chamber while Monte Carlo simulations have also been conducted. The experimentally derived sensitivities for 222Rn and 220Rn were found to be 0.470+/-0.022 and 0.486+/-0.042 m, respectively. For Monte Carlo simulations, the sensitivities to 222Rn gas were found to range from 0.618 x 10(-2) m (assuming that all 218Po progeny decay before deposition onto the internal walls of the diffusion chamber) to 0.405 x 10(-2) m (assuming that all 215Po progeny are deposited on the internal walls of the same containment vessel before decaying). The sensitivity to 220Rn gas of 0.465 x 10(-2) m found from Monte Carlo simulations agrees to within uncertainty with experimental findings. The experimentally derived sensitivity value for 222Rn indicates that 30% of the 218Po progeny decay before deposition onto the internal walls of the diffusion chamber.