Analytical and numerical study of detector sensitivity and resolution effects on metastable zone width

The effects of the sensitivity and resolution of a detector on metastable zone width (MSZW) were theoretically studied by using analytical and numerical methods. The detector sensitivity and the detector resolution were defined here as the minimum detectable number density of crystals (N/M)(det) and the minimum detectable size of crystals, respectively. Both the sensitivity and resolution had significant effects on MSZW. The MSZW became larger as the sensitivity was decreased (i.e., the value of (N/M)(det) was increased). It also became larger with a decrease in the resolution (i.e., an increase in the minimum detectable size). The effect of the resolution was less significant than that of the sensitivity. The effect of nucleus size on MSZW is also discussed. The MSZW reading in an actual experiment, where the minimum detectable size is expected to be much larger than the nucleus size, was suggested not to depend on nucleus size.