Design of a portable dose rate detector based on a double Geiger–Mueller counter

Highlights: • Both automatic switch technology of a double Geiger–Mueller counter and time-to-count technology are adopted to broaden the measurement range of the instrument. • By adding the GPS, 3G, and RF functions to the portable dose rate detector, the application scope is broadened. • Outdoor and indoor experiments prove that the portable dose rate detector can be used for unattended tasks. A portable dose rate detector was designed to monitor radioactive pollution and radioactive environments. The portable dose detector can measure background radiation levels (0.1 $\mu$Sv/h) to nuclear accident radiation levels (>10 Sv/h). Both automatic switch technology of a double Geiger–Mueller counter and time-to-count technology were adopted to broaden the measurement range of the instrument. Global positioning systems and the 3G telecommunication protocol were installed to prevent radiation damage to the human body. In addition, the Monte Carlo N-Particle code was used to design the thin layer of metal for energy compensation, which was used to flatten energy response The portable dose rate detector has been calibrated by the standard radiation field method, and it can be used alone or in combination with additional radiation detectors.