Ultraviolet radiation-induced modifications of the optical and registration properties of a CR-39 nuclear track detector

The UV-VIS (ultraviolet-visible) spectra and etching characteristics of poly allyl diglycol carbonate (PADC, a form of the CR-39 polymer) detector films after exposure to UV radiation for various times have been studied. Etching experiments were carried out on the UV-exposed CR-39 detectors after alpha particle and fission-fragment irradiation using a 252Cf source. The bulk and track etch rates were measured using the alpha and fission-fragment track diameters, and the sensitivity and the detection efficiency were also determined. The optical band gap for both indirect and direct transitions was calculated based on the absorption edge of the UV spectra of the pristine and variously UV-exposed detectors. The optical band gap evidently indicates a gradual change in the optical properties of the CR-39 detector that is induced by the UV radiation. This study shows that the UV-exposed CR-39 detectors were demonstrated to be highly sensitive to alpha particles, but proved to be somewhat less sensitive to the fission fragments.