Neutron response characteristics of the NPL tissue-equivalent proportional counter

The aim of this work was to provide information which could be used to improve the accuracy with which tissue-equivalent proportional counters (TEPCs) measure dose equivalent. To this end the variation in TEPC dose equivalent with neutron energy has been determined using calculation and measurements. By comparing these values with the accepted values for ambient dose equivalent (H*(10)), the efficiency of the TEPC for the measurement of H*(10) was determined over the energy range from thermal to 15 MeV. Analytical approaches for improving the H*(10) efficiency of the TEPC were then investigated. (author)