Studies on 0.45 GeV/n Kr collisions using solid state nuclear track detectors

A search has been made on the inelastic collision of 0.45 GeV/n 3684Kr ions in Hungarian brand CR39 (MA-ND) track detector. The charge response of the polymer detector has been studied to investigate the nuclear fragmentation phenomena. The exposed track detectors were etched for 20 hours in 6N NaOH solution at 70 degC and the etch pits were measured using a Leitz optical microscope. The present results have been compared with the earlier short hour etched results. The charge resolution of the detector has been calculated but no remarkable change is observed from the results as expected from long hour etching of the track detector. The charge response of the detector shows an exponential fall with the increase of etching time. (author)