Use of nuclear photoemulsions for low energy deuteron detection in vacuum and helium medium in case of time exposure

An investigation is described of a possibility of recording 700 to 950 keV deuterons with fine-grain type T-3 and P-9 photoemulsion in vacuum and in a helium atmosphere, allowance being made for a possible variation in photolayer parameters during long exposures of an 10 to 14 days. To eliminate the exfoliation of emulsions from the glass as a result of staying for long in vacuum, they have been first kept in an spirit-glycerine mixture and then dried in a special drier at room temperature. Such pretreatment may result in changes in photoemulsion moderating capability as well as in the shrinkage coefficient. Therefore the moderating capability and the shrinkage coefficients of the photoemulsions treated by the method described above have been estimated. The obtained results show that the treatment with spirit-glycerine mixture may cause an increse in track length not more than by 1.5 to 3%, if at all, this value being within the accuracy limits of track measurements. The shrinkage coefficient for plates soaked with spirit-glycerine mixture turns out to be equal to that of untreated ones. Investigation of a possible change in emulsion layer thickness during long exposure in helium atmosphere (240 hours) and in vacuum (approximately 100 hours) show a 15% decrease in the shrinkage coefficient. Investigation of the effect of long staying of plates in vacuum and dry helium atmosphere indicates the decrease in track length due to pumping various additives the emulsions contain. The investigation carried out proves the possibility of using types T-3 and P-9 nuclear emulsions for recording low-energy charged particles at long exposures in vacuum (approximately 0.01 torr) and a dry neutral gas medium accounting for possible changes in the photolayer nuclear emulsions for recording low-energy charged particles at long exposures in vacuum (approximately 0.01 torr) and a dry neutral gas medium accounting for possible changes in the photolayer