Abstract
Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) signal properties of pellets from three types of NaCl (two household salts and one analytical grade salt) were investigated for their use in prospective dosimetry. Special attention was given to the OSL signal behaviour with time. The readout protocol was optimised in terms of preheat temperature, and the OSL signal yield of the NaCl pellet with time as well as the fading of the OSL signal with time was investigated. The effects of acute and chronic irradiations were compared. Irradiations and readout were performed using a Risø TL/OSL reader (TL/OSL-DA-15, DTU Nutech, Denmark). The optimal preheat temperature was determined to be 100 ºC, yielding OSL signals similar to a 1 h pause before OSL signal readout. There was no OSL signal fading observed as a function of time, but a decrease in the OSL signal yield of the NaCl pellets with time resulted in an apparent inverse fading when converting the OSL signal to an absorbed dose. For chronic radiation exposures of up to five weeks, the sensitivity of the NaCl pellets was found to be stable. The results of this study show that the use of NaCl pellets for prospective dosimetry is a promising, cost-effective, and accessible complement to commercially available alternatives for accurate absorbed dose determinations.
Highlights
Of specific importance for dosimetry using such pellets outside the laboratory are the timing between production and irradiation and the timing between irradiation and subsequent readout protocol, including optimised preheat
Taking into account the measurement uncertainties, the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) signal from the NaCl pellets appears to be stable over time, at least over 4 weeks
To more accurately estimate absorbed doses, a correction may be considered for the decrease in OSL signal yield with time
Summary
Prior studies on optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimetry involving luminescent materials have shown that ordinary household salt (NaCl) has potential applications both in retrospective dosimetry (Bailey et al 2000; Bernhardsson et al 2009; Spooner et al 2011; Hunter et al 2012; Ademola 2017) and prospective dosimetry (Bernhardsson et al 2012; Ekendahl et al 2016; Christiansson et al 2018; Waldner and Bernhardsson 2018; Majgier et al 2019). As NaCl is accessible all over the world, it could be an available and cost-effective complement to commercially available dosimeters in applications where a large number of dosimeters is needed or when there is a shortage of other available means for in situ or individual dosimetry. Such applications may include personal dosimetry and radiation. Further studies are needed to find an optimised preheat temperature for the NaCl pellets and to determine how to achieve a stable and reproducible OSL signal at the readout
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