A Solid-State Dosimeter Based on a New Glow Curve for Beryllia

There is a need for a dosimeter which covers the dose range of Kilorads to Megarads, can be built by most laboratories and is easily operated. This paper describes such an equipment which has been designed using the thermoluminescent properties of beryllia. It is shown that some samples of beryllia have an orange glow curve at 280°C which is more intense than the blue emission at 180°C which is normally used. The intensity and spectral emission properties have been used to design a dosimeter based on a solid-state photodetection system. The system was designed primarily for dosimetry during terrestrial irradiation of electronic components and equipment intended for satellite applications. A number of other dosimetry applications with similar requirements could also benefit from this development.