Application of Fission-Fragment Etch-Pit Techniques in Uranium Detection

Formation of fission-fragment etch pits in glass was investigated with emphasis on the application of the method to the measurement of uranium distributions in solids and low-flux neutron dosimetry. The application of the method to the determination of uranium distributions, in both small and large specimens, was illustrated with specimens ∼450 µ m in diameter and with large, uranium-doped cesium iodide crystals. Upper and lower detection limits for uranium and neutron fluence were established for the glass slides employed. The purpose of the research was to illustrate the applicability of etch-pit techniques to a range of problems in nuclear technology.