High resolution two-dimensional dose mapping of electron beam processed polymers

The recent advances in electron beam processing of polymer samples require increasingly dose mapping techniques with depth and volume resolution capability. In this paper, the use of micro-indentation and thermo-mechanical analysis is proposed to fulfill the necessary requirements in terms of resolution and accuracy. Experimental procedures are used to acquire mechanical data that are successively converted into dose levels based on dedicated calibrated samples. Physical principles, experimental artifacts, and limitations are discussed with special focus on calibration and validation of a simulator for dosimetry in electron beam cross-linking of electrical cables.