TSEE detection of alpha and very soft beta radiations

α-alumina layers were used for TSEE detection of alpha and beta particles of different energies with the aim of obtaining some necessary information for possible use in radiation dosimetry. The alpha energies investigated were within the range of 1.9 to 4.9 MeV, while for beta rays attention was mainly paid to the energy range from 18 to 300 keV. TSEE glow curves are very similar for alpha, beta and gamma radiations except that the alpha curve also has 2 additional maxima. While the energy response for alpha radiation is rather high, for beta radiation, with the exception of that from tritium, it remains almost invariable. The results obtained can be applied to monitoring of alpha emitters, contamination control of tritium and to skin dosimetry of high LET radiations. (author)