https://doi.org/10.1051/epjap/2013130391
Effect of 14 MeV neutrons on the optical properties of CR-39 detector
1
Health Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, India
2
Atomic and Molecular Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, India
3
Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, 1/AF Bidhan Nagar, Kolkata 700064, India
a e-mail: sam.tripathy@gmail.com
Received:
28
August
2013
Revised:
7
October
2013
Accepted:
20
November
2013
Published online:
6
January
2014
This study is carried out to establish a correlation between optical absorbance and track density in CR-39 detectors exposed to different fluences of D-T (14 MeV) neutrons. This can be useful in estimating the neutron fluence and hence the dose without involving the tedious track counting procedure, especially when the track density is extremely high. Variation in the optical properties is studied using UV-VIS-NIR (ultraviolet-visible-near infrared) spectroscopic technique. The neutron-induced recoil tracks are developed by chemical etching and the track density is determined. The optical transmission spectra are obtained for pristine and neutron irradiated detectors before and after etching. A linear relationship is obtained between the track density and the optical absorbance with increasing neutron fluence. Another objective of this work is to study the effect of etching on the optical properties such as transmittance and absorbance of irradiated CR-39 detectors. The optical properties are found to be changing due to the development of tracks in the detector.
© EDP Sciences, 2014
