Abstract
Recent radiophotoluminescent glasses are superior to photographic film and other methods used in personnel dosimetry in many respects. However, one of the main problems for the practical application which is not yet solved, is the dosimetry of intermediate and fast neutrons, because the glasses are almost only sensitive to thermal neutrons. The thermal neutron sensitivity of glasses with different compositions has been calculated. The experimental results correspond fairly well to the calculation. The effect of Li6 and B10 enrichment and of the glass dimensions on the thermal neutron sensitivity have also been calculated. Special attention was given to Sm, Eu and Gd containing glasses. Only the Gd-glasses could be used for RPL measurements. Among the different possibilities of increasing the fast neutron sensitivity of the glasses, the use of the dosimeter wearer''s body as a moderating and back-scattering medium seems to be of particular interest. So it is, for instance, possible to obtain a red-equivalent neutron and gamma indication of a Yokota-type glass by the frontal irradiation of the glass on the surface of a thorax phantom with fission neutrons. If the neutron spectrum or the angle of incidence is different, correction factors have to be used. These factors could be obtained from the determination of the dose differences in glasses shielded by different neutron absorbers, or by the use of glasses with different neutron sensitivities but the same gamma sensitivity. Results of experiments are given for varying moderator thicknesses, different directions of incidence, fission and Am/Be neutrons and Sn and Cd shielded 8 x 8 x 4.7 mm silver-activated phosphate glass blocks. Some other methods of possible interest are discussed.