Response of CR39 track etch detector to 10 A GeV Fe26+ ion beam and total charge changing cross section measurement

Total charge changing cross-section of 10 A GeV Fe26+ ion beam on polyethylene and CR39 targets was measured. Charge of the fragments of projectiles was detected using CR39 nuclear track detectors by a new technique of one-side etching using an automated optical microscope with an image analysing software. The calculated value of total charge changing cross-section is σtot = (2694 ± 142)mb and is in good agreement with the experimental values by other methods within error. The restricted energy loss (REL) at energy 10 A GeV for all the fragments was theoretically calculated by using Bethe–Bloch equation and then obtained a calibration curve of reduced etch-rate ratio (p) versus REL showing the response of CR39 track detectors to 10 A GeV Fe26+ beam. The curve was fitted by a polynomial showing the relation between p and REL.