Studies on the nuclear tracks in CR-39 plastics

Automation of etch pit analyses on solid-state nuclear track detectors with machine learning for laser-driven ion acceleration

Solid-state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs) are often used as ion detectors in laser-driven ion acceleration experiments and are considered to be the most reliable ion diagnostics since they are sensitive only to ions and measure ions one by one. However, ion pit analyses require tremendous time and effort in chemical etching, microscope scanning, and ion pit identification by eyes. From a laser-driven ion acceleration experiment, there are typically millions of microscopic images, and it is practically impossible to analyze all of them by hand. This research aims to improve the efficiency and automation of SSNTD analyses for laser-driven ion acceleration. We use two sets of data obtained from calibration experiments with a conventional accelerator where ions with known nuclides and energies are generated and from actual laser experiments using SSNTDs. After chemical etching and scanning the SSNTDs with an optical microscope, we use machine learning to distinguish the ion etch pits from noises. From the results of the calibration experiment, we confirm highly accurate etch-pit detection with machine learning. We are also able to detect etch pits with machine learning from the laser-driven ion acceleration experiment, which is much noisier than calibration experiments. By using machine learning, we successfully identify ion etch pits ∼105 from more than 10 000 microscopic images with a precision of ≳95%. A million microscopic images can be examined with a recent entry-level computer within a day with high precision. Machine learning tremendously reduces the time consumption on ion etch pit analyses detected on SSNTDs.

Revealing the mechanism of damage to the carbonate ester in PADC polymeric nuclear track detector using low-energy electron stimulated desorption

We investigate the mechanism of damage to the carbonate ester chemical functions in Poly allyl diglycol carbonate (PADC) induced by low-energy electrons (LEEs) of <50 eV, which are major components of the initial secondary products of ionizing radiation. PADC is the world's most widely used polymeric nuclear track detector (PNTD) for swift ion detection. Using diethylene glycol monoethyl ether acetate as a surrogate for PADC, we have measured for irradiation with low-energy electrons (LEEs) of <50 eV, the electron stimulated desorption (ESD) signal of O- from 3-monolayer thick films of DGMEA by time-of-flight mass spectrometry. We find that for electron irradiation at energies >6-9 eV, the instantaneous ESD yield of O- increases with the cumulative number of incident electrons (i.e., fluence), indicating that the additional O- signal derives from an electron-induced DGMEA product. From comparison with ESD measurements from films of acetic acid and acetaldehyde, we identify that the additional desorbed O- signal derives from oxygen atoms originally adjacent to the carbonyl bond in DGMEA. Since LEEs are the predominant secondary particles produced by ionizing radiation, this finding helps to better understand the mechanism of damage to carbonate ester in PADC, which is a key step for latent track formation in PADC.

Methodological and Conceptual Progresses in Studies on the Latent Tracks in PADC

Modified structure along latent tracks and track formation process have been investigated in poly (allyl diglycol carbonate), PADC, which is well recognized as a sensitive etched track detector. This knowledge is essential to develop novel detectors with improved track registration property. The track structures of protons and heavy ions (He, C, Ne, Ar, Fe, Kr and Xe) have been examined by means of FT-IR spectrometry, covering the stopping power region between 1.2 to 12,000 eV/nm. Through a set of experiments on low-LET radiations—such as gamma ray-, multi-step damage process by electron hits was confirmed in the radiation-sensitive parts of the PADC repeat-unit. From this result, we unveiled for the first-time the layered structure in tracks, in relation with the number of secondary electrons. We also proved that the etch pit was formed when at least two repeat-units were destroyed along the track radial direction. To evaluate the number of secondary electrons around the tracks, a series of numerical simulations were performed with Geant4-DNA. Therefore, we are proposing new physical criterions to describe the detection thresholds. Furthermore, we propose a present issue of the definition of detection threshold for semi-relativistic C ions. Additionally, as a possible chemical criterion, formation density of hydroxyl group is suggested to express the response of PADC.

Significant changes in yields of 7-hydroxy-coumarin-3-carboxylic acid produced under FLASH radiotherapy conditions

FLASH radiotherapy appears to kill off tumor cells while sparing healthy tissues, by irradiation at ultra high dose rate (>40 Gy s⁻¹). The present study aims to clarify the mechanism of the sparing effect by proton irradiation under the FLASH conditions from a viewpoint of radiation chemistry. To do so, we evaluate radiation chemical yields (G values) of 7-hydroxy-coumarin-3-carboxylic acid (7OH–C3CA), which is produced by water radiolysis using coumarin-3-carboxylic acid (C3CA) solution as a radical scavenger of hydroxyl radicals. We shoot 27.5 MeV protons in the dose rate ranging from 0.05 to 160 Gy s⁻¹. The recombination process of hydroxyl radicals produced is followed by varying the concentration of C3CA from 0.2 to 20 mM, which corresponds to the scavenging time scale from 7.1 to 714 ns. The G value of 7OH–C3CA produced decreases with increasing dose rate on the same scavenging time scale. Additionally, the trend of the relative G value normalized at a scavenging time scale of 100 ns, where radical–radical reaction subsides, is consistent in the examined dose rate range. This finding implies that G values of 7OH–C3CA produced reduce with increasing dose rate due to the oxygen depletion. We experimentally present that the sparing effect for healthy tissues would be seen even with a proton beam under the FLASH conditions due to the depletion of oxygen.

Yield of 7-hydroxy-coumarin-3-carboxylic acid (7OH–C3CA) significantly decreases at FLASH condition with the dose rate of >40 Gy s⁻¹, compared to that at conventional condition of 0.05 Gy s⁻¹, due to the oxygen depletion in the solution.

CR-39 (PADC) Reflection and Transmission of Light in the Ultraviolet-Near-Infrared (UV-NIR) Range

The spectral reflection (specular and diffuse) and transmission of Columbia Resin 39 (CR-39) were measured for incoherent light with wavelengths in the range of 200-2500 nm. These results will be of use for the optical characterization of CR-39, as well as in investigations of the chemical modifications of the polymer caused by ultraviolet (UV) exposure. A Varian Cary 5000 was used to perform spectroscopy on several different thicknesses of CR-39. With proper analysis for the interdependence of reflectance and transmittance, results are consistent across all samples. The reflectivity from each CR-39-air boundary reveals an increase in the index of refraction in the near-UV. Absorption observations are consistent with the Beer-Lambert law. Strong absorption of UV light of wavelength shorter than 350 nm suggests an optical band gap of 3.5 eV, although the standard analysis is not conclusive. Absorption features observed in the near infrared are assigned to molecular vibrations, including some that are new to the literature.

Empirical assessment of the detection efficiency of CR-39 at high proton fluence and a compact, proton detector for high-fluence applications

CR-39 solid-state nuclear track detectors are widely used in physics and in many inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments, and under ideal conditions these detectors have 100% detection efficiency for ∼0.5-8 MeV protons. When the fluence of incident particles becomes too high, overlap of particle tracks leads to under-counting at typical processing conditions (5 h etch in 6N NaOH at 80 °C). Short etch times required to avoid overlap can cause under-counting as well, as tracks are not fully developed. Experiments have determined the minimum etch times for 100% detection of 1.7-4.3-MeV protons and established that for 2.4-MeV protons, relevant for detection of DD protons, the maximum fluence that can be detected using normal processing techniques is ≲3 × 10(6) cm(-2). A CR-39-based proton detector has been developed to mitigate issues related to high particle fluences on ICF facilities. Using a pinhole and scattering foil several mm in front of the CR-39, proton fluences at the CR-39 are reduced by more than a factor of ∼50, increasing the operating yield upper limit by a comparable amount.

Response of CR-39 to medium energy electron irradiation

The effect of 5-15 keV electron irradiation on the etch rate of CR-39 nuclear track detectors has been investigated for surface doses from 0.09 to 13.85 J/cm2. Even before etching, electrons produce a surface depression proportional to the surface dose raised to the power 0.78 +/- 0.01. Etch rate enhancement was observed in the surface region (about 4 micrometers deep) and was well approximated by a Gaussian function of depth. The depth and thickness of the etch rate enhancement increase with increasing electron energy, but are independent of dose. The maximum etch rate is proportional to the peak volumetric dose raised to the power of 1.45 +/- 0.06, independent of electron energy. No signs of a saturated response were found in the etch rate. This enhanced etching rate may significantly affect nuclear track identification in situations with an electron background.