Performance of an exoelectron dosemeter badge for personnel beta dosimetry

Thin-film exoelectron dosemeters are ideal for measuring beta doses because the thin sensitive layer provides essentially no attenuation of even low energy beta particles. A three-element exoelectron dosemeter badge that meets the US Department of Energy Laboratory Accreditation Program (DOELAP) criteria for beta particles and photons is described. The badge consists of three dosemeter elements: one to measure shallow dose, one to measure deep dose, and one to provide an indication of the low energy photon component of the incident radiation. The third element is necessary to correct the under-responses of the other two elements to low energy photons. This badge is currently being used at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) for specialised health physics applications. (author)