Investigation of Beta and Gamma Rays Total Interaction Cross Section and Effective Atomic Number for CR-39Nuclear Track Detector

Abstract

CR-39 is a solid state nuclear track detector (SSNTD) that has been used in many research areas. In spite of the assumption that the CR-39 detectors are insensitive to beta and gamma rays, irradiation with these rays can have significant effects on the detector properties. In this study, beta and gamma rays mass attenuation coefficients μ/ρ (cm2 g-1) for the CR-39 detector have been measured using NaI(Tl) scintillation spectrometer along with a standard geometrical arrangement in the energy region of (0.546-2.274) MeV beta rays and standard gamma sources having energy 0.356, 0.5697, 0.6617 and 1.063 MeV. The total atomic cross-section (σtot), total electronic cross-section (σT E) and the effective atomic number (Zeff) of gamma rays at energy of 1keV- 105 MeV have been also calculated using the Winxcom and MathCAD programs. The data base and the calculated results were compared with the measured experimental values. It has been found that the mass attenuation coefficients vary with the type of interaction of radiation, photoelectric interaction gives dominant contribution to the total mass attenuation coefficients for CR-39 detectors. Further, the Zeff changes with change of energy.