Detection and measurement of radiation damage by polarized light

Claim 2

A process for detecting and measuring radiation damage which comprises providing a sheet of dielectric polarizing material having a thickness of at least about 1 micron, exposing said dielectric polarizing sheet to radiation to produce tracks of radiation damaged material therein extending from one surface through the opposite surface thereof, contacting said sheet with an etchant to selectively dissolve and remove said tracks of damaged material to form holes therein passing from one surface through the opposite surface thereof, said holes in the resulting etched polarizing sheet not being visible to the unaided eye, irradiating unpolarized visible light on a side of a polarizer which polarizes the light by selective absorption to transmit visible light polarized in a single plane, irradiating said visible light polarized in a single plane on one side of said etched polarizing sheet, and while said visible polarized light is irradiated on one side of said etched polarizing sheet positioning said sheet until it substantially blocks transmission of said visible polarized light and appears substantially opaque in said polarized light resulting in passage of said visible polarized light only through said holes in said sheet, said visible polarized light emerging from said holes on the opposite side of said sheet indicating the presence of said holes.

Claim 3

A process according to claim 1 wherein said sheet of dielectric polarizing material is plastic.

Claim 4

A process for detecting and measuring radiation damage which comprises providing a dielectric polarizing laminated structure comprised of at least a first lamina and a second lamina, said first lamina being a radiation track-forming material at least 1 micron in thickness and said second lamina being a polarizing material, exposing said first lamina to radiation to produce tracks of radiation damaged material therein extending from one surface through its opposite surface, contacting said laminated structure with an etchant or solvent to selectively dissolve and remove said tracks of damaged material to form holes passing from one surface through the opposite surface of said laminated structure, said holes in the resulting etched laminated structure not being visible to the unaided eye, irradiating unpolarized visible light on a side of a polarizer which polarizes the light by selective absorption to transmit visible light polarized in a single plane, irradiating said visible light polarized in a single plane on one side of said etched laminated structure, and while said visible polarized light is irradiated on one side of said etched laminated structure positioning said laminated structure until it substantially blocks transmission of said visible polarized light and appears substantially opaque in said visible polarized light resulting in passage of said visible polarized light only through said holes in said laminated structure, said visible polarized light emerging from said holes on the opposite side of said laminated structure indicating the presence of said holes.

Claim 5

A process for detecting and measuring radiation damage which comprises providing a dielectric polarizing laminated structure comprised of at least a first lamina and a second lamina, said first lamina being a radiation track-forming material at least 1 micron in thickness and said second lamina being a polarizing material, exposing said first lamina to radiation to produce tracks of radiation damaged material therein extending from one surface through its opposite surface, contacting said laminated structure with an etchant or solvent to selectively dissolve and remove said tracks of damaged material to form holes passing from one surface through the opposite surface of said laminated structure, said holes in the resulting etched laminated structure not being visible to the unaided eye, irradiating unpolarized visible light on a side of a polarizer which polarizes the light by selective absorption to transmit visible light polarized in a single plane, irradiating said visible light polarized in a single plane on one side of said etched laminated structure, and while said visible polarized light is irradiated on one side of said etched laminated structure positioning said laminated structure until it substantially blocks transmission of said visible polarized light and appears substantially opaque in said visible polarized light resulting in passage of said visible polarized light only through said holes in said laminated structure, said visible polarized light emerging from said holes on the opposite side of said laminated structure indicating the presence of said holes.

Claim 6

A process according to claim 3 wherein said tracks of radiation damaged material extend through said laminated sTructure.

Claim 7

A process according to claim 1 wherein said laminated structure is plastic.

Claim 8

A process according to claim 5 wherein said first lamina is a polycarbonate and said second lamina is a cellulose film containing oriented iodoquinine sulphate crystals.