High resolution charge spectroscopy of heavy ions with FNTD technology

• FNTD technology was utilized to obtain charge spectra of carbon-ion fragments.
• Several correction techniques were developed to minimize line broadening.
• Charge resolution of 0.25 c.u. was demonstrated.
• Light fragments starting from hydrogen and helium were detected.

This paper is focused on the improvement of the heavy charge particle charge resolution of Fluorescent Nuclear Track Detector (FNTD) technology. Fluorescent intensity of individual heavy charge particle tracks is used to construct the spectrum. Sources of spectroscopic line broadening were investigated and several fluorescent intensity correction procedures were introduced to improve the charge resolution down to δZ = 0.25 c.u. and enable FNTD technology to distinguish between all projectile fragments of 290 MeV carbon ions. The benefits of using FNTD technology for fragmentation study include large dynamic range and wide angular acceptance. While we describe these developments in the context of fragmentation studies, the same techniques are readily extended to FNTD LET spectroscopy in general.