INVESTIGATION OF PROTON RESPONSE OF CR-39

CR-39 type super grade PM-355 samples have been irradiated at normal i ncidence with monoenergetic protons at selected energies in the range of 0.2 to 5 MeV. The sensitivity function and its variation with energ y have been experimentally determined. A clear shift was observed in t he maximum sensitivity towards higher proton energies with the increas e in etching time. The critical angle for proton registration decrease s rapidly between 0.2 MeV and 0.5 to 0.8 MeV depending on the etching time. For higher energies the critical angle increases gradually. The CR-39 detection efficiency for protons was found to be about 100% with in the experimental accuracy for all energies in comparison with that of a surface barrier detector.