Detection threshold in muscovite mica: Influence of the observation tool

For the observation of nuclear tracks, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is a u seful technique. In our study, we have irradiated a muscovite mica sample u sing 600 keV oxygen ions. This ion's energy is well below the detection thr eshold predicted by the existing models. The samples were visualized at hig h resolution with an AFM device. Before chemical etching no tracks were vis ualized on the surface at an atomic level. However, defects must have been initiated because tracks became observable after a brief etching time. Our results confirm that the detection threshold is influenced by the observati on tool. In this article we provide information concerning the "observabili ty" and "etchability" of latent tracks.