Alpha particle energy response of 1-mm-thick polycarbonate track detectors by 50 Hz-HV electrochemical etching method.

The electrochemical etching (ECE) method enlarges charged particle tracks to enhance its applications in particular in health physics and radiation dosimetry. The ECE method is usually based on using a high frequency-high voltage (HF-HV) generator with 250-µm-thick polycarbonate track detectors (PCTDs). The authors' recent studies on nitrogen and helium ions and alpha tracks in 1-mm-thick large-size PCTDs under a 50 Hz-HV ECE process provided promising results. In this study, alpha track efficiency and mean track diameter versus energy responses and registration energy range as well as alpha and background track shapes under three sets of 50 Hz-4, 5 and 6 kV applied field conditions have been studied and are reported. The efficiency versus alpha energy has a Bragg-type response from ∼15 keV to ∼4.5 MeV for the field conditions applied with an efficiency value of 40-50% at the Bragg peak. The results are presented and discussed.