Performance characteristics of neutron personnel dosemeters used in the Oak Ridge intercomparison studies

To provide an opportunity for dosimetrists to test and calibrate their neutron personnel monitoring systems, the staff of the Dosimetry Applications Research Facility at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has conducted personnel dosimetry intercomparison studies (PDIS) periodically since 1974. During these studies, neutron dosemeters are mailed to ORNL, exposed to low level (less than 15 mSv) dose equivalents in a variety of mixed radiation fields produced using the Health Physics Research Reactor (HPRR), and then returned to the participants for evaluation. Beginning with the Seventh PDIS in 1981, interest and participation in the Oak Ridge intercomparisons increased significantly and consistent and documented methods for determining reference neutron dose equivalents for the HPRR were introduced. This paper presents a summary and analysis of about 3450 neutron dose equivalent measurements reported for PDIS 7 through 12 (1981-1986) with particular emphasis on low dose equivalent sensitivity, accuracy and precision, and performance relative to accreditation standards for the basic types of personnel dosimetry systems. (author)