Prolonged etching factor in solid state track detection and its applications

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Abstract
It has been observed that the number density of etch pits resulting from spontaneous or induced fission within a solid state track detector (SSTD) is a function of the duration of etching, other conditions being constant. As the etching proceeds, the net number of etch pits observed per unit area continues to increase. This necessitates a modification of the conventional equations governing the observed etch-pit densities in SSTD. A prolonged etching factor f(t) is defined, and its value measured as a function of time under various specific etching conditions, in a number of materials of interest, including ‘reference glass’. Furthermore, the theoretical relationship of this factor with the general velocity of etching in a given material, and with the average range R of fission fragments in it, is utilized in deriving self-consistent and very satisfactory values of R in the above-mentioned materials.