Ion transmission ± new technique for analysis of ion tracks in polymers J. Vacik a, * , J. Cervena a , V. Hnatowicz a , D. Fink b , P.Yu. Apel c , P. Strauss d a Nuclear Physics Institute, Academy of Science, CZ-250 68 Rez near Prague, Czech Republic b Hahn-Meitner-Institute, D-14109 Berlin, Germany c Joint Institute of Nuclear Research, Dubna 141980, Russian Federation d Institute of Surface Modi®cation, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany Abstract Several polymeric foils (Polyethylene terephthalate and Makrofol KG) with etched ion tracks have been analysed by a new technique ± ion transmission method. 3D geometries of the pores have been revealed and compared with reported 2D shapes of the pores analysed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It was found that TEM images cor- respond to the entrance cross sections of the pores at the surface of the foils obtained by ion transmission analysis. The present results show that application of the ion transmission technique can be an useful tool for non-destructive ex- amination of macrodefects in thin polymeric foils, such as partially or fully etched tracks. Ó 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PACS: 61.80.Jh; 81.60.Jw; 34.50.Bw Keywords: Ion track; Ion irradiation; Polyethylene terephthalate; Makrofol 1. Introduction Energetic ions passing through matter transfer along their path considerable amounts of energy to the electrons and nuclei of the target within a very short period of time. The energy deposition trig- gers a wide range of complicated processes and may cause permanent changes in the spatially limited regions known as latent tracks which have tube-like geometry with an amorphized core sur- rounded by a less damaged halo. A wide range of methods have been used to obtain information on the ion tracks in solids. The ®rst direct images of ion tracks were made by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) at the end of the ®fties [1]. Using improved high-resolu- tion electron microscopy ion tracks in dierent insulators, semiconductors, polymers, high-tem- perature superconductors and even in metallic glasses have been observed [2]. Within the last several years images of individual ion tracks with atomic resolution have been available using Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 146 (1998) 475±479 * Corresponding author. Tel.: +420 2 6617 2340; fax: +420 2 685 7003; e-mail: vacik@ujf.cas.cz 0168-583X/98/$ ± see front matter Ó 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 1 6 8 - 5 8 3 X ( 9 8 ) 0 0 4 5 8 - 3