Current Situation for Exoelectron Dosimeters of Beo Ceramic in Neutron Dosimetry

摘要

Much of the early enthusiasm for using exoelectron dosimeters (ceramic BeO Thermalox 995) in neutron dosimetry was predicted on the belief that the response to fast neutrons, relative to gamma rays, was 0.18 to 0.28 on a R/sub gamma / equiv/tissue rad n/sub f/ basis for neutron energies between 0.1 and 16 MeV. Pairs of BeO disks had to be used, one covered with a polyethylene radiator for producing recoil protons, and the other covered with Teflon. More recent studies indicated a considerably lower ratio of 0.11 for Health Physics Reactor Research fission neutrons. In the earlier work the BeO was coated with gold to enhance the surface conductivity during reading of the thermally stimulated exoelectron emission (TSEE). No metallic coating is now deemed to be necessary. Perhaps thermal neutron contamination of the fast neutron beams due to some thermalization within the hydrogenous radiator was sufficient to cause the high apparent fast neutron sensitivity via n, gamma reactions. Whatever the cause, however, the lower value of 0.11 has caused a marked subsidence of enthusiasm in this technique of fast neutron monitoring. (ERA citation 03:005027)