Aging process of LR-115-II detector using a direct determination technique of bulk etching rates

The bulk etching rate is used, here, as an examined relevant parameter to determine experimentally the aging process of the LR-115-II solid state nuclear track detectors over an 18 years age range. Two methods are used to determine the bulk etching rate of the detectors. The present work shows the first application of the direct method to measure the bulk etching rate which gives a reasonable agreement with the previous literatures. On the basis of the present results, it is founded that the measured bulk etching rate values of the LR-115 detectors of the same recent batch are constant over five years and they depend upon the depth of the sensitive layer. But this dependence disappears or could be neglected weaker after long period of time due to aging effect where the Cellulose Nitrate layer decomposes. To avoid the aging effect of LR-115 detector, it should be stored at low temperature and a light tight reservoir