Determination of the proton latent track dimensions in CR-39 detectors using small angle neutron scattering

The radial size of the damaged region induced by the proton beams in the CR-39 has been determined by small angle neutron scattering (SANS).The radii of the track core have been estimated by SANS technique using Guinier-plots and have been found to be about 0.7±0.20.7±0.2, 0.9±0.40.9±0.4 and 1.5±0.4nm at the fluences of 10111011, 10121012 and 5×1012cm-2, respectively.These results are compared with those calculated using Waligorski radial dose distribution and those obtained by Yamauchi et al. using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and UV spectrophotometer.Finally, a correlation between the present results and those obtained in the previous work permits to propose a chemical structure of the proton latent track in CR-39.