Development and Test of a GEM-Based TEPC for Neutron Protection Dosimetry

• Main Author: Seydaliev, Marat Radikovich
• Published: Georgia Institute of Technology 2007
• Subjects: Dosimetry; Radiation; Neutron detection; Instruments; Gas electron multiplier; Tissue-equivalent proportional counter; Radiation Safety measures; Neutrons Measurement; Radiation dosimetry
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1853/14607

The effective dose equivalent, H (or the effective dose, E ) to an individual is the primary limiting quantity in radiation protection. However, techniques for measuring H for neutrons have not been fully developed. In this regard a new tissue equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) based on a gas electron multiplier (GEM) for measuring H*(10), which is a conservative estimate of H, for neutrons was designed and constructed. The deposited energy distribution for two different neutron sources (a Cf-252 source and a AmBe source) was measured using the new TEPC. The measurements were performed using two different proportional gases: P-10 gas and a propane-based tissue equivalent gas at various pressures. A computer simulation of the new TEPC, based on the Monte Carlo method, was performed in order to obtain the pulse height distributions for the two neutron sources. The simulated results and the measured results were compared. Results show that the experimental results agree with the computational results within 20% of accuracy for both Cf-252 and AmBe neutron sources. A new model GEM-based TEPC was developed for use in obtaining H*(10). The value of H*(10) for the Cf-252 source and for the AmBe source using experimental measurements was obtained. These results are presented in this study. The study shows that the GEM-based TEPC can successfully estimate H*(10). With these results and some refinements, this GEM-based TEPC can directly be used as a neutron rem meter.