CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY IN THE ANALYSIS OF THE ETCHED NUCLEAR-PARTICLE TRACKS IN POLYMERS

The possibility of the morphometric analysis of etched tracks, induced by protons and alpha particles in the organic polymer allyl diglycol carbonate (CR-39), using the confocal scanning laser microscope (CSLM) , was studied. The detectors were investigated in two groups of irradi ation experiments, namely: (a) irradiated with monoenergetic neutrons of energy 1.2 MeV, (b) exposed to the alpha,radiation from Rn-222,,and it, progeny, Both groups were irradiated at normal incidence, Radiati on-induced latent tracks were electrochemically etched, and their morp hometric parameters were investigated in the reflection mode by using the 488-nm spectral line of an argon ion laser, A constant number of u p to 200 optical sections in Z-scan mode was taken through each select ed etched track at vertical spacings of 0.642 mu m. Successive reconst ructions of Z-sections were used to determine the following parameters : the mean radius of the opening channel, the maximum diameter and the length of the track, and the angle of the track wall to the surface o f the sample, The results show that: tracks produced by alpha particle s differ from those induced by protons, The radius of the opening chan nel of alpha-particle-induced tracks ranges from 7.9 to 11 mu m, where as for protons the same parameter ranges between 2.0 and 3.8 mu m for a specific electrochemical etch procedure.