What is Type of Radiation Dosimeters

There are many types of radiation dosimeters and detectors, and each type has limitations. The passive and the active dosimeters are often used together to complement each other. Radiation Dosimetry

A radiation dosimeter is a device that measures exposure to ionizing radiation. Dosimeters usually record a dose, which is the absorbed radiation energy measured in grays (Gy) or the equivalent dose measured in sieverts (Sv). A personal dosimeter is dosimeter, that is worn at the surface of the body by the person being monitored, and it records of the radiation dose received.

EPD - Electronic Personal Dosimeters — EPD – Electronic Personal Dosimeters

Commercially available dosimeters range from low-cost, passive devices that store personnel dose information for later readout, to more expensive, battery operated devices that display immediate dose and dose rate information (typically an electronic personal dosimeter). Readout method, dose measurement range, size, weight, and price are important selection factors.

There are two kinds of dosimeters:

Passive Dosimeters. Commonly used passive dosimeters are the Thermo Luminescent Dosimeter (TLD) and the film badge. A passive dosimeter produces a radiation-induced signal, which is stored in the device. The dosimeter is then processed and the output is analyzed.
Active Dosimeters. To get a real time value of your exposure you can instead use an active dosimeter, typically an electronic personal dosimeter (EPD). An active dosimeter produces a radiation-induced signal and displays a direct reading of the detected dose or dose rate in real time.

The passive and the active dosimeters are often used together to complement each other. To estimate effective doses, dosimeters must be worn on a position of the body representative of its exposure, typically between the waist and the neck, on the front of the torso, facing the radioactive source. Dosimeters are usually worn on the outside of clothing, around the chest or torso to represent dose to the “whole body”. Dosimeters may also be worn on the extremities or near the eye to measure equivalent dose to these tissues.

Types of Dosimeters

There are many types of radiation dosimeters and detectors, and each type has limitations.

Film Badge Dosimeters

Film badges are small portable devices for monitoring cumulative radiation dose due to ionizing radiation. Principle of operation is similar as for X-ray pictures. The badge consists of two parts: photographic film, and a holder. The film is contained inside a badge. The piece of photographic film that is the sensitive material and it must be removed monthly and developed. The more radiation exposure, the more blackening of the film. The blackening of the film is linear to the dose, and doses up to about 10 Gy can be measured.

TLD – Thermoluminescent Dosimeter

A thermoluminescent dosimeter, abbreviated as TLD, is a passive radiation dosimeter, that measures ionizing radiation exposure by measuring the intensity of visible light emitted from a sensitive crystal in the detector when the crystal is heated. The intensity of light emitted is measure by TLD reader and it is dependent upon the radiation exposure. Thermoluminescent dosimeters was invented in 1954 by Professor Farrington Daniels of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. TLD dosimeters are applicable to situations where real-time information is not needed, but precise accumulated dose monitoring records are desired for comparison to field measurements or for assessing the potential for long term health effects.

See also: TLD – Thermoluminescent Dosimeter

EPD – Electronic Personal Dosimeter

An electronic personal dosimeter is modern dosimeter, which can give a continuous readout of cumulative dose and current dose rate, and can warn the person wearing it when a specified dose rate or a cumulative dose is exceeded. EPDs are especially useful in high dose areas where residence time of the wearer is limited due to dose constraints.

The electronic personal dosimeter, EPD, is able to display a direct reading of the detected dose or dose rate in real time. Electronic dosimeters may be used as a supplemental dosimeter as well a primary dosimeter. The passive dosimeters and the electronic personal dosimeters are often used together to complement each other.

See also: EPD – Electronic Personal Dosimeter

MOSFET Dosimeter

MOSFET dosimeter is a small portable device for monitoring and direct reading of radiation dose rate. Since it is based on the MOSFET transistor, the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), the principle of operation is similar as for semiconductor detectors. MOSFET dosimeters are now used as clinical dosimeters for radiotherapy radiation beams. Their main advantage is their physical size, which is less than 4 mm². In radiation therapy dosimetry, MOSFET dosimeters often replace TLD dosimeters, since they offer immediate read out.

Self-reading Dosimeter

Self Indicating Pocket Dosimeters - Quartz Fiber Dosimeter — The self indicating pocket dosimeter consists of an ionization chamber, with a volume of approximately two milliliters, which is sensitive to a desired radiation, a quartz fiber electrometer to measure the charge, and a microscope to read the fiber image off a scale. Source: www.nde-ed.org

Self-reading dosimeters are field-readable devices worn on the body to measure accumulated dose. These are unpowered devices that do not contain a battery. Devices in this group include:

Quartz fiber dosimeter. A quartz fiber dosimeter, sometimes called a self indicating pocket dosimeter (SIPD), is a pen-like device that measures the cumulative dose of ionizing radiation received by the device, usually over one work period.
Self-developing photochemical cards. Self-developing photochemical card is a credit card sized, instant color developing emergency dosimeter. It is designed for monitoring exposure in a radiological incident for medical treatment triage and to minimize worry and panic.

DIS Dosimeter

Direct-ion storage dosimeter, DIS, is an electronic dosimeter, from which the dose information for both Hp(10) and Hp(0.07) can be obtained instantly at the workplace by using an electronic reader unit. The DIS dosimeter is based on the combination of an ion chamber and a non-volatile electronic charge storage element. DIS dosimeter use an analog memory cell inside a small, gas-filled, ionization chamber. Incident radiation causes ionizations in the chamber wall and in the gas, and the charge is stored for subsequent readout. The DIS dosimeter is read at the user’s site through connection to an electronic reader unit.

References:

Radiation Protection:

Knoll, Glenn F., Radiation Detection and Measurement 4th Edition, Wiley, 8/2010. ISBN-13: 978-0470131480.
Stabin, Michael G., Radiation Protection and Dosimetry: An Introduction to Health Physics, Springer, 10/2010. ISBN-13: 978-1441923912.
Martin, James E., Physics for Radiation Protection 3rd Edition, Wiley-VCH, 4/2013. ISBN-13: 978-3527411764.
U.S.NRC, NUCLEAR REACTOR CONCEPTS
U.S. Department of Energy, Instrumantation and Control. DOE Fundamentals Handbook, Volume 2 of 2. June 1992.

Nuclear and Reactor Physics:

J. R. Lamarsh, Introduction to Nuclear Reactor Theory, 2nd ed., Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA (1983).
J. R. Lamarsh, A. J. Baratta, Introduction to Nuclear Engineering, 3d ed., Prentice-Hall, 2001, ISBN: 0-201-82498-1.
W. M. Stacey, Nuclear Reactor Physics, John Wiley & Sons, 2001, ISBN: 0- 471-39127-1.
Glasstone, Sesonske. Nuclear Reactor Engineering: Reactor Systems Engineering, Springer; 4th edition, 1994, ISBN: 978-0412985317
W.S.C. Williams. Nuclear and Particle Physics. Clarendon Press; 1 edition, 1991, ISBN: 978-0198520467
G.R.Keepin. Physics of Nuclear Kinetics. Addison-Wesley Pub. Co; 1st edition, 1965
Robert Reed Burn, Introduction to Nuclear Reactor Operation, 1988.
U.S. Department of Energy, Nuclear Physics and Reactor Theory. DOE Fundamentals Handbook, Volume 1 and 2. January 1993.
Paul Reuss, Neutron Physics. EDP Sciences, 2008. ISBN: 978-2759800414.