Applying the TSEE technique to Spectrolite and Opal pellets irradiated with high doses of gamma radiation

Abstract

Spectrolite + Teflon and Opal + Teflon pellets were studied in this work in relation to their dosimetric properties, using the thermally stimulated exoelectron emission (TSEE) phenomenon. The purpose of this work was to study these materials to be used in high-dose dosimetry of Co-60 irradiators, which are employed for several industrial applications. The basic physical principle of this technique is the emission of low energy electrons from the surface of different crystalS. For this reason, it is very employed in work with specially radiation sources of low penetrating power, as alpha and beta radiation, but also with gamma sources. Both materials had already their dosimettic chatacteristics verified in previous works after exposure to high doses of a Co-60 source and measurements by means of thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) techniques. The TSEE response was investigated in terms of the following tests: TSEE emission curves, reproducibility, minimum detectable doses and dose-response curves.