ATOMKI Közlemények 21., melléklet a 2. számhoz (1979)
G. Somogyi: Development of etched nuclear tracks
ATOMKI Közlemények Suppl. 21/2 (1979)1-53 DEVELOPMENT OF ETCHED NUCLEAR TRACKS* G, SOMOGYI Institute of Nuclear Research of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences Debrecen, Hungary Abstract. The theoretical description of the evolution of etched tracks in solid state nuclear track, detectors is considered for different initial conditions, for the cases of constant and varying track etch rates, isotropic and unisotropjc bulk etching as well as for thick and thin detectors. Tt is summarized how cr.e can calculate the main parameters of etch-pit geometry, the track length, the axes cf a surface track opening, track profile and track contour. The application of the theory of etch-track evolution is demonstrated with selected practical problems. Attention is paid to certain questions related to the determination of unknown track parameters and calculation of surface track sizes. Finally, the theory is extended to the description of the perforation and etch-hole evolution process in thin detectors, which is of particular interest for track radiography and nuclear filter production. *This paper was presented as an invited survey lecture at the International Spring School on the Development and Applications of Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors held at Islamabad (Pakistan), March 5-14, 1979.