Operational difficulties with ceramic BeO TLD

Several problems inhibit the widespread acceptance of ceramic BeO TLD. The foremost difficulty is a pyroelectric incandescence which interferes with the characteristic radiation induces TL peak. The effect is most troublesome after zero or small radiation exposures up to about 100 mR; the magnitude of the pyroelectric incandescence decreases with increasing radiation exposure. Ceramic BeO absorbs its own emitted thermoluminescence in the ultraviolet. As a result the effective depth of the TL layer is only a few hundred microns deep. This effect contributes to a strong angular dependence of response of BeO ceramic disks to photon radiations, especially at energies below 100 KeV. Fading of the TL signal is also a serious problem in normal laboratory lighting. Handling operations should be conducted under yellow or red light