Operational Thermoluminescence Dosimetry

his book provides a comprehensive description of a dosimetric technique called thermoluminescence dosimetry. There are hundreds of scientific papers on thermoluminescence and its applications, but none deal with the “handling” of the technique, except for some official documents regarding procedural tests which are now not easily found. For this reason the authors have written this book with the aim of describing in detail how to use this dosimetric method. This volume is a valuable guide not only on the proper handling of the TL dosimeters but also on the results obtained by their use. The book consists of nine chapters. The first three chapters cover the theory of thermoluminescence and the experimental methods used to evaluate the kinetics parameters. The next three chapters describe the practical aspects of setting up a thermoluminescent dosimetric system, specifically suggesting the procedures to be used in handling the TL dosimeters as well as all the related instrumentation. The algorithm correlating the TL emission to the radiation dosage is provided and explained. The precision and accuracy of the TL measurements are also discussed. The last three chapters are devoted to: (i) the practical procedure used in some specific application fields, (ii) a discussion about the lower limit of detection and (iii) the TL instrumentation. Several practical illustrative examples are given throughout the text. The book is intended for students and researchers learning new techniques and those working in the area of radiation dosimetry with a specific interest in the TL technique.