Results in Physics 7 (2017) 69–76

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Results in Physics
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Alpha particle energy response of CR-39 detectors by 50 Hz–HV

electrochemical etching method
M. Sohrabi ⇑, Z. Soltani
Health Physics and Dosimetry Research Laboratory, Department of Energy Engineering and Physics, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: High inherent sensitivity of CR-39 to detect relatively lower-LET particles, proved efficacy of 50 Hz–HV
Received 23 September 2016 electrochemical etching method and need to efficient alpha detection methods prompted this study.
Received in revised form 27 November 2016 Alpha detection energy dependence (
0.3 to
4.5 MeV) of 500 lm CR-39 detectors was studied.
Accepted 27 November 2016
Detection efficiency increases to
90% flat over
0.8.0 to
4.5 MeV alpha energy for 10 N and 15 N
Available online 5 December 2016
KOH solutions for 8 h at 26 °C. Efficiency versus stopping power responses follow the efficiency-energy
responses while mean track diameters are linear functions of stopping power of a helium ion. The method
Keywords:
provides some advantages over 2 kHz–HV method.
Alpha particle
CR-39
Ó 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND
50 Hz–HV ECE license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Efficiency
Energy response, KOH normality

Introduction highly necessary to also study detection characteristics (efficiency

and diameter) of 500 lm CR-39 detectors over a broad alpha
Registration of charged particle tracks in CR-39 has been energy range and stopping powers for 6 N, 10 N and 15 N KOH
advanced either by chemical etching (CE) [1,2], or by high solutions in order to promote applications of such detectors in
frequency-high voltage (HF-HV) electrochemical etching (ECE) radiation protection and other fields. The results obtained in this
[3–16]. The HF-HV ECE process of CR-39 is usually carried out in study are also compared to those of alpha particle detection in
6 N NaOH or 6 N KOH solutions at temperatures up to 70 °C either CR-39 detectors by HF-HV ECE method [9].
by a 2-step pre-etching/ECE process [5–7,10] or by a 2-step ECE
process [11–14], or by a 2-step ECE/post-etching process [15], or
Material and methods
by a single-step ECE at 26 ± 1 °C [16].
The 50 Hz–HV ECE method of either 250 lm thick [17] or 1 mm
The material and methods applied in this study are the same as
thick polycarbonate track detectors (PCTD) [18,19] detects alpha
previously reported on detection characteristics of
0.8 MeV alpha
particles with an efficiency much higher and detection energy
particles in 500 lm CR-39 detectors by studying the responses of
range much broader than those of 2 kHz–HV ECE method [20].
different fluences, ECE durations and KOH normalities [16]. In this
Recently alpha particles of
0.8 MeV energy were detected effi-
present study, CR-39 detectors (2 cm  2 cm in size cut by a laser
ciently for the first time in 500 lm thick CR-39 detectors by a
gun from a 500 lm thick A-4 size sheet masked on both sides)
single-step 50 Hz–2 kV ECE method at 26 ± 1 °C [16]. Using the
were exposed to a fixed alpha fluence of 1.0  104 alphas.cm2
50 Hz–2 kV method, the effects of ECE duration, KOH normality
but for different alpha energies from
0.3 to
4.5 MeV. The alpha
(6, 10 and 15 N) and fluence on the detection efficiency and track
exposures were made by an 241Am alpha source fixed at the end of
diameter of
0.8 MeV alpha particles as well as background track
a cylindrical collimated calibrator with an 8 mm diameter aperture
(BGT) density and minimum detection limit (MDL) were studied
designed to provide various calibrated fluences at fixed alpha
leading to
90% efficiency by 8 h ECE at 26 ± 1 °C [16]. The
energies.
50 Hz–HV ECE CR-39 detectors provide small tracks, linear fluence
The CR-39 detectors were processed by 50 Hz–2 kV ECE method
responses for 3 KOH normalities up to near 106 alpha tracks.cm2
at optimized conditions obtained in a previous study in 6 N, 10 N
and simplicity in equipment. Therefore, it seemed reasonable and
and 15 N KOH solutions at 26 ± 1 °C for 8 h by applying no pre-
etching. The track density, registration efficiency and mean track
⇑ Corresponding author. diameters were determined. The alpha tracks at different energies
E-mail addresses: dr_msohrabi@yahoo.com, m.sohrabi@aut.ac.ir (M. Sohrabi). were photographed under a light microscope.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rinp.2016.11.061
2211-3797/Ó 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
70 M. Sohrabi, Z. Soltani / Results in Physics 7 (2017) 69–76
The ECE chamber used is a triplet ECE (TECE) chamber with two
semi-chambers each with a row of single semi-chambers, as
described before [21]. A simple home-made 50 Hz–HV generator
was used for which a 50 Hz–220 V electricity main upgraded by
an autotransformer and a step-up transformer to provide high volt-
ages up to 50 kV with any desired field strength on any relatively
thick polymer track detector [19,22].
The mean track diameter versus energy responses for the 3 KOH
normalities studied were compared with the stopping power
(dE/dX) versus a helium ion energy obtained by using SRIM-2013
software [23]. Also the mean alpha track diameters as functions
of the stopping power were obtained for the three normality
responses as discussed in the results section.
Results and discussion
In a previous study, CR-39 detectors responded efficiently to
detection of
0.8 MeV alpha particles by 50 Hz–HV ECE method
as studied for different alpha fluences and ECE durations for 6 N,
10 N and 15 N KOH solutions even at 26 ± 1 °C (room temperature)
[16]. In this present study, the effects of alpha energy on alpha par-
ticle detection characteristics of CR-39 in terms of efficiency and
mean track diameter were studied for different KOH normalities
applying a single-step 50 Hz–HV ECE method with no pre- or
post-ECE processing. Fig. 1 shows alpha detection efficiency as
functions of alpha energy in 500 lm thick CR-39 by applying
50 Hz–2 kV field conditions for 6 N, 10 N and 15 N KOH solutions
at 26 ± 1 °C. As it can be seen in Fig. 1, the detection efficiency
for the three KOH solutions increases as the alpha energy increases
reaching plateaus after 6–8 h of ECE. The efficiency in particular
increases from
20% at
0.3 MeV to
90% at
0.8 MeV at
26 ± 1 °C for 6 N, 10 N and 15 N KOH solutions. As the alpha energy
increases further, efficiency responses are on almost flat plateaus
up to
4.5 MeV energy studied with almost equal efficiencies of

90% for 10 N and 15 N KOH solutions but with a slow reduction
in efficiency with increase in energy for 6 N KOH solution. Having
such a flat energy response from
0.8 to
4.5 MeV energy or even
possibly broader for different application is ideal for alpha particle
detection.
The effectiveness of the ECE process is highly dependent on
many parameters including electric field conditions in particular
the frequency. Fig. 2 compares alpha particle detection efficiency
versus alpha energy in 500 lm thick CR-39 by two ECE methods
Fig. 1. Alpha particle detection efficiency as a function of alpha energy in 500 lm
thick CR-39 by 50 Hz–2 kV ECE method in 6 N, 10 N and 15 N KOH solutions at
26 ± 1 °C for 8 h.
Fig. 2. Comparison of alpha particle track registration efficiency versus alpha
energy for a fluence of 1.0  104 alphas.cm2 in 500 lm thick CR-39 processed by
50 Hz–40 kV.cm1 (this study) and 2 kHz–1.2 kV [9] methods, at the stated ECE
conditions.
at applying two different frequencies; the 50 Hz–2 kV method as
obtained in this study and by 2 kHz–1.2 kV method for 6 N, 10 N
and 15 N KOH solutions at the stated ECE conditions [9]. Although
the two responses seem to have the same trend in terms of having
the same efficiency over a long flat plateau from
0.8 to
4.5 MeV,
the lower and upper energy thresholds seem to be quite different.
For example, while the efficiency for 50 Hz–2 kV method seems to
stay on plateau with further extension to higher alpha energies, the
response of the 2 kHz–1.2 kV ECE method seems starting to drop at

4.0 MeV down to an upper energy threshold of
5.5 MeV. The
same trend of differences in the lower and upper energy thresholds
was noted in the thresholds of alpha particle energy responses of
PCTDs processed by the two ECE methods applying 50 Hz and
2 kHz [17]. While the efficiency of the two ECE methods for
500 lm thick CR-39, as shown in Fig. 2, have the same percentage
from
0.8 to
4.5 MeV alpha energy under the ECE conditions
applied, the efficiency of PCTDs processed by 50 Hz–HV ECE
method is much higher and the alpha detection energy range is
much broader than those of 2 kHz–800 V ECE method [17]. The
efficiency of PCTDs processed by the 50 Hz–HV ECE method is in
general higher within a broader energy range of
0.3 to

4.5 MeV compared to that of 2 kHz–800 V ECE methods which
is
0.3 to
2.5 MeV obtained in our recent studies [17]. Also the
registration energy range of the 50 Hz–HV ECE CR-39 detectors is
broader to some extent as it can be seen in Fig. 2.
Another characteristic parameter of concern in 50 Hz–2 kV ECE
of 500 lm thick CR-39 is the mean alpha track diameter versus
alpha energy which was performed for 6 N, 10 N and 15 N KOH
solutions at 26 ± 1 °C for 8 h, as shown in Fig. 3. All the 3 different
KOH normality responses more or less follow an alpha Bragg-type
response peaking at around
0.8 MeV alpha energy which can be
considered for alpha spectrometry purposes. However, the Bragg-
type response is more pronounced for 6 N and 10 N KOH solutions
and less pronounced for 15 N KOH solution the response of which
is flattened after
0.8 MeV. This flattening of the response seems
to be due to domination of bulk chemical etch rate of 15 N KOH
solution in the ECE process applied, which make this normality
not suitable for alpha spectrometry purposes [24,25]. The mean
alpha track diameters at the Bragg peaks have maximum values
of
52,
26 and
18 lm for the 6 N, 10 N and 15 N KOH solutions
respectively.
 M. Sohrabi, Z. Soltani / Results in Physics 7 (2017) 69–76 71

Fig. 3. Mean alpha particle track diameter (lm) as functions of alpha energy for a
fluence of 1.0  104 alphas.cm2 in 500 lm thick CR-39 by 50 Hz–2 kV ECE method Fig. 5. Mean alpha particle track diameter (lm) as a function of a helium ion
in 6, 10 and 15 N KOH solution at 26 ± 1 °C for 8 h. stopping power for a fluence of 1.0  104 alphas.cm2 in CR-39 developed by
50 Hz–2 kV ECE method in 6, 10 and 15 N KOH solution at 26 ± 1 °C for 8 h.
In Fig. 3, also the stopping power of a helium ion as a function of
its energy when passing through CR-39 target is shown as obtained
Table 1
by using the SRIM-2013 software. It is interesting to note that the
Coefficients of the 3 linear stopping power response versus mean alpha track
SRIM-2013 response match well with the mean alpha track diam- diameter for 6 N, 10 N and 15 N KOH solutions for alphas (with energies
eter versus energy obtained by the 10 N KOH solution response.
0.3 MeV < Ea <
4.5 MeV and stopping powers
88 keV/lm < dE/dX <
212 keV/
Due to strong relation of stopping power (dE/dX) with alpha lm.
particle energy, the efficiency and mean track diameter are also KOH Normality (nN) Coefficients
strongly dependent on the stopping power. Fig. 4 shows the alpha
a b R-squared value
particle detection efficiency (%) as functions of a helium ion stop-
ping power in 500 lm thick CR-39 by 50 Hz–2 kV method in 6 N, 6N 7.80 84 0.93
10 N 4.16 9.6 0.99
10 N and 15 N KOH solutions at 26 ± 1 °C for 8 h. As it can be seen 15 N 0.84 142 0.01
in Fig. 4, the general trend of the responses is the same as those of
the detection efficiency versus alpha energy of 10 N and 15 N KOH
solutions with a flat response from
0.8 to
4.5 MeV except at
stopping power points such as 171.6 keV/lm (0.3 MeV) and
201.0 keV/lm (0.5 MeV) where the detection efficiencies have
dropped. In fact, these stopping powers are almost respectively
equal to the stopping powers of 1.5 MeV (172.3 keV/lm) and
1.0 MeV (202.2 keV/lm) alpha particles. Similar points
between
0.3 to
0.8 MeV in the back of the Bragg peak and
between
0.8 and
1.5 MeV on the front of the Bragg peak have

Fig. 6. Comparison of mean alpha particle track diameter versus alpha energy in
500 lm thick CR-39 by 50 Hz–40 kV.cm1 (this study) and 2 kHz–24 kV.cm1 [9], at
the stated optimized conditions.

similar situations with equal stopping powers at relevant points

Fig. 4. Alpha track detection efficiency (%) as functions of a helium ion stopping
power for a fluence of 1.0  104 alphas.cm2 in CR-39 developed by 50 Hz–2 kV
method in 6, 10 and 15 N KOH solution at 26 ± 1 °C for 8 h.
on the response. Therefore, the data points on Fig. 4 for 0.3 and
0.5 MeV may be not considered as part of the flat response after
the Bragg peak.
Fig. 5 shows the mean alpha particle track diameter (lm) as
functions of a helium ion stopping power in CR-39 developed by
50 Hz–2 kV method in 6 N, 10 N and 15 N KOH solution at
26 ± 1 °C for 8 h. As it can be seen, the mean alpha track diameters
72 M. Sohrabi, Z. Soltani / Results in Physics 7 (2017) 69–76
0.3 MeV
1.0 MeV
4.0 MeV
Fig. 7. Microphotographs of alpha particle tracks (100) of different energies in 500 lm thick CR-39 exposed to 1.0  104 alphas.cm2 processed by 50 Hz–2 kV ECE method
in 6 N KOH solution at 26 ± 1 °C for 8 h.
(D) for the 6 N KOH (6ND), 10 N KOH (10ND) and 15 N KOH (15ND)
solutions are linear functions of the stopping power (keV/lm)
studied except the discontinuity points as observed above. The
observation of these linearity of responses may be somehow corre-
lated to the linearity of the effective track core radius for the loss of
ether and carbonate ester bonds in PADC films exposed to protons
and heavy ion beams against the stopping power [26]. No matter
what the cause of this linearity is, the linear responses can assist
in determination of unknown alpha energies just by determining
the mean track diameter of the unknown alpha particle energy
(provided that the alpha fluence is the same), and use the graphs
to obtain the relevant stopping power and accordingly the alpha
energy. For this purpose, the linearity of responses can be very
0.5 MeV 0.8 MeV
2.0 MeV 3.0 MeV
Background
instrumental for alpha spectrometry purposes or possibly other
applications. The stopping power versus mean track diameter
responses for 6 N, 10 N and 15 N KOH solutions for alphas with
energies
0.3 MeV < Ea <
4.5 MeV and relevant stopping power

88 keV/lm < dE/dX <
212 keV/lm are formulated as Eq. (1)
with coefficients for the three linear responses as given in Table 1.
nN
S ¼ nN ðdE=dXÞ ¼ a  nN
Dþb ð1Þ
One of the specific characteristics of the 50 Hz–HV ECE process-
ing either in CR-39 or in PCTDs is that the mean track diameter is
highly dependent on the applied field conditions in particular the
frequency [16]. Fig. 6 compares mean alpha particle track diameter
versus alpha energy in 500 lm thick CR-39 as processed by
 M. Sohrabi, Z. Soltani / Results in Physics 7 (2017) 69–76 73

0.3 MeV 0.5 MeV 0.8 MeV

1.0 MeV 2.0 MeV 3.0 MeV

4.0 MeV Background Tracks

Fig. 8. Microphotographs of tracks (100) of alpha particles of different energies in 500 lm thick CR-39 exposed to 1.0  104 alphas.cm2 by 50 Hz–2 kV ECE method in 10 N
KOH solution at 26 ± 1 °C for 8 h.

50 Hz–40 kV.cm1 (this study) and under 2 kHz–24 kV.cm1 field
strength [9], at the stated optimized conditions. It can be seen that
although the field strength of 24 kV.cm1 for 2 kHz ECE is much
lower than 40 kV.cm1 applied in this study, the track sizes are still
near three times smaller. This is due to the fact that as frequency
increases, the dielectric heating and thus local track heating which
highly depends on the frequency of the applied field increase lead-
ing to larger tracks [16,27]. Therefore, 50 Hz ECE method is much
more advantageous from this point of view leading to much smal-
ler tracks. Having smaller track sizes extends the linearity of a
response to higher track density which is of importance for detect-
ing high alpha particle fluences.
Figs. 7–9 show microphotographs of tracks of alpha particles at
energies 0.3, 0.5, 0.8, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 MeV and BGT density
respectively in 500 lm thick CR-39 detectors exposed to 104
alphas.cm2 processed by 50 Hz–2 kV for 6 N, 10 N and 15 N
KOH solutions at 26 ± 1 °C for 8 h. These microphotographs show
the appearance of alpha tracks and their dependence on the alpha
energy and also on the KOH normality.
For 6 N KOH solutions, the alpha tracks as shown in Fig. 7 are
relatively small for the alpha energy range of
0.3 to
4.5 MeV
studied. Also the track diameter, as it can be seen, is very much
energy dependent and are the largest in size at the Bragg-peak,
as also shown in Fig. 3.
74 M. Sohrabi, Z. Soltani / Results in Physics 7 (2017) 69–76

0.3 MeV 0.5 MeV 0.8 MeV

1.0 MeV 2.0 MeV 3.0 MeV

4.0 MeV Background Tracks

Fig. 9. Microphotographs of tracks (100) of alpha particles of different energies in 500 lm thick CR-39 exposed to 1.0  104 alphas.cm2 by 50 Hz–2 kV method in 15 N KOH
solution at 26 ± 1 °C for 8 h.

For 10 N KOH solutions, alpha track diameters, as shown in
Fig. 8, are the larger than those of the two other solutions. The
tracks are more distinct against the detector surface in particular
at the Bragg peak at
0.8 MeV. Such larger tracks while are of high
benefit for low-fluence alpha or in general charged particle detec-
tion applications, it can be problematic in applications for example
in ion detection in plasma focus devices where the ion fluence is
relatively high per pinch shot [22,28,29]. However, as it can be
seen in Fig. 3, the mean track diameter fits well the SRIM dE/dX
response of a helium ion making the detector more suitable for
alpha spectrometry applications.
For 15 N KOH solutions, as shown in Fig. 9, alpha particle tracks
are still larger than those of 6 N KOH solution but smaller than
those of 10 N KOH solution. However, the alpha track diameter is
not distinctly energy dependent as the other two solutions. As it
can be seen from Figs. 3 and 8, the alpha tracks are more or less
the same size within a small margin. This is due to the fact that
at higher KOH concentrations, such as 15 N KOH solution, ion accu-
mulation in the vicinity of a damaged track region is too high with
reduced ion mobility under the field conditions applied [30]. Under
such conditions, chemical etching rate of tracks is dominant and
consequently the track diameters become less energy dependent.
At this stage of development, 15 N KOH solution at the ECE condi-
tions applied, cannot be applied for alpha spectrometry purposes.
However, since the efficiency of the alpha detection is rather
constant over an alpha energy range of
0.8 to
4.5 MeV, CR-39
 M. Sohrabi, Z. Soltani / Results in Physics 7 (2017) 69–76
applications at this concentration is also efficient to be used
depending on the application.
Having said the above, alpha particle detection by CR-39 under
a single ECE method with no pre-or-post etching either at 50 Hz–
2 kV or 2 kHz–HV ECE conditions has rather unique characteristics
in particular having flat efficiency response of
0.8 to
4.5 MeV
energy studied. However, it should be brought to the attention that
CR-39 provides specific behavior when appropriate pre-etching is
applied [6]. It has been well demonstrated for fast-neutron-
induced recoil particle tracks that the sensitivity and mean track
diameter of CR-39 versus KOH normality responses for a number
of pre-etching durations applied up to 5 h in 6 N KOH solution at
60 °C show two peaks with near 3 times higher sensitivity than
the rest of the responses at 6 N and 15 N KOH solutions. However,
from practical point of view, the 50 Hz–2 kV ECE method applied in
this study provides high flat efficiency response over relatively
broad energy range for different applications.
Regarding BGT density and MDL of CR-39 detectors under opti-
mized 50 Hz–2 kV conditions, they have been well reported in a
recent article [16]. In summary, the BGT increases linearly versus
ECE duration for the 6 N, 10 N and 15 N KOH solutions; 6 N KOH
solutions produce the lowest and 15 N KOH solutions produce
the highest BGT densities. The CR-39 detectors processed by
50 Hz–2 kV method in 6 N KOH solution can be considered from
any practical and efficiency points of view such as relatively low
normality, high efficiency, small track diameter, extended fluence
range and the lowest BGT density and thus MDL with no need to
pre-or-post ECE etching even at room temperature, a preferred
method. As stated above, depending on the type of application of
concern, other conditions with or without pre-etching can be
applied.
As experienced in our laboratory and by others, in general CR-
39 detectors vary in terms of BGT density from producer to pro-
ducer, batch to batch, foil to foil in the same batch, and one side
to another side of the same detector as well as very much depend-
ing on the processing type and conditions such as chemical and/or
ECE. For example, the BGT density of 500 lm thick CR-39 detectors
under a two-step high-frequency ECE process is 34.4 ± 13.8 tracks.
cm2 [13], 70 tracks.cm2 [14] and 43 ± 17 tracks.cm2 [31]. The
BGT density of chemically processed CR-39 in 6.5 N NaOH solution
at 60 °C is 157 tracks.cm2 [32] and 38.86 ± 4.3 tracks.cm2 [33].
As regards to BGT density of CR-39 under 50 Hz–HV ECE method,
it is 59 ± 6, 76 ± 7 and 94 ± 7 tracks.cm2 for 6 N, 10 N and 15 N
KOH solutions respectively [16].
Conclusion
Alpha particles of
0.3 to
4.5 MeV energy were efficiently
detected in 500 lm thick CR-39 detectors by applying a simple,
single and low-cost 50 Hz–2 kV ECE method as studied for 6 N,
10 N, and 15 N KOH solutions at 26 ± 1 °C for 8 h. The efficiency
increases from
20% at
0.3 MeV to
90% at
0.8 MeV beyond
which flat plateaus up to
4.5 MeV was for 10 N and 15 N KOH
solutions with a slow decrease in efficiency for the 6 N solution
down to 77 ± 7% at 4.5 MeV. The mean alpha track diameter versus
alpha energy responses for the 3 KOH solutions follow a Bragg-
curve trend but 10 N KOH solution response fits well with the
Bragg curve of a helium ion obtained by SRIM-2013 software. Hav-
ing such a flat energy response is ideal for alpha particle detection
from
0.8 to
4.5 MeV energy or even possibly to detect broader
energy ranges for different applications. The mean alpha track
diameters versus dE/dX of a helium ion for the 3 KOH solutions
studied follow linear responses from
0.3 to
4.5 MeV proposing
a method for identifying unknown alpha energies. From practical
75
points of view, 6 N KOH solution provides high efficiency over a
broad energy range, small track diameters, highly extended fluence
range and in particular being a lower normal KOH solution at room
temperature for 8 h with no pre-or-post etching. However,
depending on the type of application of concern, other KOH solu-
tions and ECE conditions with or without pre-or-post etching can
be applied. The 50 Hz–HV method provides a number of advan-
tages as discussed in particular due to simply in having higher
power and stability compared to HF-HV generators. Therefore, it
can be easily applied to thick polymeric detectors as experienced
by us in a number of reported or on-going studies to be yet
reported.
Acknowledgments
Research was conducted under the current budget of the
Department of Energy Engineering and Physics, Amirkabir Univer-
sity of Technology and there is no conflict of interest.
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