Ion transmission - new technique for analysis of ion tracks in polymers

Several polymeric foils (Polyethylene terephthalate and Makrofol KG) with e tched ion tracks have been analysed by a new technique - ion transmission m ethod. 3D geometries of the pores have been revealed and compared with repo rted 2D shapes of the pores analysed by transmission electron microscopy (T EM). It was found that TEM images correspond to the entrance cross sections of the pores at the surface of the foils obtained by ion transmission anal ysis. The present results show that application of the ion transmission tec hnique can be an useful tool for non-destructive examination of macrodefect s in thin polymeric foils, such as partially or fully etched tracks. (C) 19 98 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.