Determination of the Bulk Etch Rate of the Nuclear Track Detector LR-115

Abstract

The present paper aims to determine the bulk etch rate (VB) of the nuclear track detector LR115 type  using the track "length-diameter" (Le-D) measurement method. The detector was irradiated with energies 1.8, 2.47, 3.29 and 3.95 MeV of alpha particles under normal incidence. A 1Ci241Am source emits alpha particles with the main energy of 5.485 MeV was used in irradiation of the detector. The energies less than the main value are obtained by changing the source to detector distance in air at atmospheric pressure. The alpha-irradiated detectors were etched with a 2.5 N of NaOH solution at temperature 50±1oC, and then the track diameters were measured. Using an alternative method presented by Al-Nia'emi and the D-Le calibration method, the track lengths were determined from the directly measured track diameters for different etching times according to the energies of the alpha particles. It was found that the average value of VB was 1.1 m.h-1, which is not extremely dependent on the alpha particle energies. The result was compared to values recorded by other studies using different methods of measurement.