Nonlinear Calibration and Temperature Sensitivity of Makrofol Solid-State Nuclear Track Detectors for Radon Measurement

Abstract

A key characteristic of a solid-state nuclear track detector (SSNTD) is that as more alpha tracks accumulate on the detector, the likelihood of track overlap will increase, making it difficult to distinguish individual events. This article presents the calibration of an in-house SSNTD using a Makrofol polycarbonate detector and electrochemical etching. The calibration employs a nonlinear log-logistic quantile function, which is nearly linear at low exposures but accounts for the reduced efficiency at high exposures due to overlapping alpha tracks. The function can be fitted to calibration measurements very accurately, eliminating systematic errors previously associated with the method at certain radon exposures. This article explores the uncertainties and detection limits associated with the calibration and outlines methods for their evaluation. Additionally, it includes a preliminary discussion on the method’s sensitivity to temperature.