Regression-effect mechanism in photolayers subjected to a pulsed electric field

The paper investigates the regression rate of a latent image in nuclear emulsions subjected to humidity, a pulsed electric field, exposure, and development at temperatures from +20 to -20 C. It is found that the temperature dependence of the regression rate corresponds to the Arrhenius equation with an activation energy of 0.12 eV, which equals the activation energy for migration of interstitial Ag(+) ions. It is proposed that after exposure to the pulsed electric field, the regression rate is governed by relaxational motion of Ag(+) ions in electrically polarized single crystals, although the absolute value of this rate is many orders of magnitude less than the rates of other relaxation processes associated with the effect of a pulsed electric field. Reasons for this difference are considered, and it is suggested that ion processes are characterized by two rates analogous to Hall and drift mobility of electron carriers in silver halides.