Development of prototype fiber optics dosimeter for remote radiation measurements

Optical fiber dosimetry has been studied as an emerging method of monitoring radiation remotely in difficult to access and hazardous areas and is suitable for use in confined environments that may be inaccessible using existing dosimeters. Being light weight and non intrusive, optical fibers provide several advantages in the field of dosimetry like resistant to electromagnetic interferences. An extrinsic architecture, where the radiation-sensing component is spliced or coupled to an optical fiber, is employed in this work. A prototype single channel fiber optic based remote radiation measurement system with BaFBr:Eu sensor, which has a wide linear dose response, is developed at Radiological Safety Division, IGCAR. High sensitive BaFBr:Eu²⁺ storage phosphor of 10 mm dia and 4 mm thickness has been successfully synthesized using high temperature solid state diffusion route in a reducing atmosphere. Optical characteristics of the BaFBr:Eu pellet were studied by taking Photoluminescence (PL) and Photo stimulated luminescence (PSL) measurements. PL emission wavelength is measured to be 390 nm. The BaFBr:Eu is irradiated for various absorbed doses in a gamma chamber at 213 Gy/hr using ⁶⁰Co standard source (BRIT make) available at RSD, IGCAR