Field Reader For A Combined Neutron Gamma Thermoluminescent Dosimeter PDF Download

The high temperature peaks (TL peaks 6--7) of TLD-600 are known to have higher responses to high LET radiation than to low LET radiation. These high temperature peak characteristics were studied for the automatic reader-annealed Harshaw albedo neutron TLD. The high temperature peaks response is linear for neutrons over the dose equivalent range tested (0.05--3 mSv of a 252Cf source moderated by a 15 cm radius polyethylene sphere), but is supralinear above 20 mSv of 137Cs photons. The peaks ratio (peaks 6--7/peaks 3--5) of TLD-600 is 0.15 for neutrons of any incident energy, 0.01 for 137Cs gammas, and 0.02 for M-150 x-rays. Based on the high temperature peak characteristics, a mixed field neutron-photon personnel dosimetry methodology using a single TLD-600 element was developed. The dosimetric method was evaluated in mixed 238PuBe + 137Cs fields with four neutron-gamma dose equivalent ratios, and the neutron, photon and total dose equivalent estimations are better than 20% except in one case. However, it was found that the neutron and photon dose equivalent estimations are sensitive to the neutron and photon peaks ratios, depending on the neutron-photon dose equivalent ratio and the neutron source in the mixed field. Therefore, a successful use of this method requires knowledge of the photon and neutron energies in the mixed field. 13 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs.