The cog-beta ray spectrometer for mixed field beta/photon dosimetry

Y. S. Horowitz, A. Horowitz, C. R. Hirning, P. Yuen, W. Cross, M. Aikens

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Beta radiation is now recognised as a significant radiation safety problem and several international conferences have recently been devoted to the problems of mixed field beta/photon dosimetry. Conventional dosimetry applies algorithms to TLD multi-element badges which attempt to extract dose information based on the comparison of TL signals from 'thick/thin' and/or 'bare/filtered' elements. These may be grossly inaccurate due to inadequate or non-existent knowledge of the energy spectrum of both the beta radiation and the accompanying photon field, as well as other factors. The operation is discussed of a beta ray energy spectrometer based on a two-element, E x dE, detector telescope intended to support dose algorithms with spectral information. Beta energies are measured via a 5 cm diameter x 2 cm thick BC-404 plastic scintillator preceded by a single, 100 μm thick, totally depleted, silicon dE detector. Photon events in the E detector are rejected by requiring a coincidence between the E and dE detectors. The spectrometer is capable of measuring electron energies from a lower energy coincidence threshold of approximately 125 keV to an upper limit of 3.5 MeV. This energy range spans the great majority of beta-emitting radionuclides in nuclear facilities.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)415-418
Number of pages4
JournalRadiation Protection Dosimetry
Volume47
Issue number1-4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 1993
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Radiation
  • Radiological and Ultrasound Technology
  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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