Modeling the response of thermoluminescence detectors exposed to low- and high-LET radiation fields

Lithium fluoride thermoluminescence (TL) detectors, with different Li composition (Li-6 and Li-7) and various activators (LiF:Mg,Ti, LiF:Mg,Cu,P), are widely used for dosimetry in space. The primary radiation field in space is composed of fast electrons,protons and heavy charged particles (HCP). By its interaction with the structures of the spacecraft, this field may be modified inside the crew cabin. Therefore, calibration of TL detectors against a dose of γ-rays is not sufficient for relating the TL readout to absorbed dose or to quantities relevant in radiation protection, without suitable correction. We introduce and calculate the detection efficiency, η, relative to γ-ray dose, of lithium fluoride detectors after proton and heavy charged particle (HCP) irradiation. We calculate η for MCP-N (LiF:Mg,Cu,P) and for MTS-N (LiF:Mg,Ti) using microdosimetric models. The microdosimetric distributions used in these models (for HCP of charges between Z=1 to Z=8 and in the energy range between 0.3 MeV/amu and 20 MeV/amu) are calculated using an analytical model, based on the results of Monte Carlo simulated charged particle tracks using the MOCA-14 code. The ratio ηMCP-N/ηMTS-N for protons of stopping power (in water) below 10 keV/μm lies in the range between 0.65 and 1.0 and for HCP with Z>1 - between 0.3 and 0.6. The stopping power of the particle is found not to be a unique parameter to scale the response of TL detectors. The combination of response of LiF:Mg,Cu,P and LiF:Mg,Cu,P detectors can be more suitable for a dose correction in space radiation fields. (author)