Characteristics of PADC detectors using new pre-soaking technique

PADC (Poly-allyl diglycol carbonate) has been widely used for personal neutron dosimeter. However, false pits are often observed on etched surfaces of non-irradiated PADC plastic, which are very similar to those induced by neutrons and difficult to distinguish under microscopic view. The purpose of this study is to investigate about an effective pre-soaking process for reducing the number of background pits with keeping the neutron sensitivity higher. The optimum pre-soaking condition was determined by a practical index of lower detectable dose (LDD). Under the condition, the response of the neutron dosimeter consisting of PADC plastic nuclear track detector and a polyethylene radiator was also investigated for several different neutron energies. An improvement in its energy dependence was experimentally confirmed.