Type testing and calibration of personal dosemeters

The complexity of the calibration procedure depends on what information is required and extends from a full type test, in which a device is exposed to a range of radiation energies and angles of incidence as well as other influences parameters, to routine tests to establish calibration factors, or confirm such, for individual personal dosemeters or batch samples. In this paper, brief consideration is given first to requirements on the overall accuracy of dose measurements since these determine what approximations may be allowable in calibration procedures. A short account is then included in the steps involved in performing a full type test. Some aspects are expanded upon, namely, the calibration field, conversion coefficients, reference point, choice of phantom and correction of phantom backscatter. Photons, neutrons and beta radiation are considered. Routine calibration is also discussed. (Author)