Application of UV-Vis Optical Spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction Methods to Describe the Effect of Alpha-Emitting Radionuclides (Radon) When They Are Detected by Solid-State Film Detectors

This work aims to evaluate the application of optical and X-ray spectroscopy methods to determine the effect of alpha-emitting radionuclides on the properties of solid-state nuclear track detectors (SSNTD) based on nitrocellulose during their detection. The proposed estimation methods are alternative methods to standard technologies, making it possible to determine the concentration of radon and its decay products without the chemical etching of film detectors and subsequent direct counting of the formed latent tracks from interacting particles. During the research, it was found that the use of optical spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction methods makes it possible to qualitatively determine the irradiation effect on changes in the properties of film detectors when alpha-particles with different energies pass through them. At the same time, a comparison of the data of optical spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and the visualization of latent tracks after chemical etching made it possible to establish that a part of the registered alpha-particles in living quarters has an energy of less than 2.5 MeV, which is not enough to pass through the polymer film of the detector, as a result of which well-like tracks are formed. An increase in the intensity of the interference bands in the region above 700 nm and a decrease in the intensity of diffraction reflection characterized the changes in optical transmission. The penetration of the alpha-particles through the detecting film decreases the film's transmission capacity, forming an anisotropic change in diffraction reflections associated with a change in the film's structure and defective fractions distorting the molecular structure.

Automated summary

This work evaluates the use of optical and X-ray spectroscopy methods in determining the effect of alpha-emitting radionuclides on the properties of solid-state nuclear track detectors. The study found that these methods can qualitatively determine the radiation effect on the detectors and identified that some registered alpha-particles in living quarters do not have enough energy to pass through the polymer film, resulting in unique tracks.