Field tests of a tissue-equivalent beta survey meter

A tissue-equivalent survey meter for monitoring the (dD/dt)(0.07) and (dD/dt)(10) dose rates produced by betas and photons has been designed and tested. The very thin tissue-equivalent plastic scintillator closely simulates the critical skin tissue layer between 4 mg.cm-2 and 9 mg.cm-2. The meter is calibrated to read the (dD/dt)(0.07) dose rate directly, and the (dD/dt)(10) dose rate behind a filter. Laboratory measurements of calibrated sources and field tests have demonstrated tissue-equivalent response of the survey meter to betas between 70 keV and 2500 keV and to photons with energies greater than about 30 keV. (author)