Laser-heated thermoluminescence dosimeter

摘要

An improved thermoluminescence dosimeter (TLD) system, which includes a TLD reader configured to produce data indicative of a radiation exposure, one or more dosimeters comprising a dosimeter substrate coated with a thin layer of a light-absorbing material, a light stimulation source configured to heat the dosimeter using light incident on the dosimeter coating, a light detection system to detect TL emission and an appropriately programmed computer configured to analyze data from the reader and to output data indicative of an extent of radiation exposure.

主权项

1. A thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) system, comprising:
a thermoluminescent dosimeter comprising a thermoluminescent substrate having a thin layer of light-absorbing material disposed on one surface thereof, a thickness of the thermoluminescent substrate being much greater than a thickness of the light-absorbing material; a stimulation light source configured to provide light having a wavelength of between 550 nm and 1200 nm to the thermoluminescent dosimeter; and a TLD reader, the TLD reader comprising:
a light-tight dosimeter holder configured to hold the thermoluminescent dosimeter, the thermoluminescent dosimeter being situated in the dosimeter holder with the layer of light-absorbing material facing the light source so that light from the light source strikes the light-absorbing material without first traveling through the dosimeter substrate;at least one first optical filter configured to remove spurious wavelengths from light provided by the stimulation light source to produce a filtered stimulation light having a first desired wavelength;at least one second optical filter configured to remove spurious wavelengths from a thermoluminescent (TL) emission from the thermoluminescent dosimeter to produce a filtered TL emission having a second desired wavelength, the filtered TL emission being indicative of an exposure of the dosimeter to radiation; anda photodetector configured to receive the filtered TL emission from the dosimeter and to output photon data indicative of a number of photons produced by the TL emission; wherein light from the stimulation light source enters the TLD reader and is filtered by the first optical filter to form the filtered stimulation light, the filtered stimulation light striking the light-absorbing material on the thermoluminescent substrate without first traveling through the thermoluminescent substrate; wherein the light-absorbing material becomes heated from an absorption of the filtered stimulation light; wherein the thermoluminescent substrate becomes heated from an absorption of light by the light-absorbing material; and wherein the thus-heated thermoluminescent substrate produces the TL emission.