RPL dosimetry. Radiophotoluminescence in health physics

The luminescence phenomena described in this book are those that are most likely to be of practical use; RPL is particularly suitable for the measurement of absorbed dose resulting from interactions with ionising radiations. The book examines the phenomena of radio-photoluminescence and proceeds to describe particular materials which exhibit the necessary fluorescence, their behaviour, dosimetric properties and the wide range of alternative measurement techniques that may be applied to them in a variety of monitoring environments. The emphasis is primarily on implementation in health physics as a personal and environmental monitor and particular reference is made to the use of RPL as a research tool for radiotherapy treatment planning and in the context of civil defence. The author reviews the design, operation and basic operational principles of some of the readers currently in service or being developed. The logistics of operating small and large monitoring services are considered and there is a useful comparison between glass, thermoluminescence and film methods of dosimetry to enable potential users to evaluate the merits of each from a theoretical and practical point of view. (author)