Thermoluminescence: materials and applications

Thermoluminescence dosimetry (TLD) is a widely used method of measuring ionising radiation. In this thesis the properties of a wide range of TLD materials are presented, with one (magnesium borate) described in some detail. A computer program has been developed for the analysis of TL glowcurves into their component peaks. This is based on first-order kinetics, described in the chapter on theory, which has been found to apply to most of the materials studied and analysed. A number of practical applications of TLD are described. These include the successful use of TLD measurements to test whether foodstuffs have been irradiated. In some cases the TL signal is due to traces of dust or soil in the food, but the existence of clear TL signals from irradiated fats and fatty foods was an unexpected finding. Further work is required to elucidate the TL mechanism in fats. A programme of environmental monitoring with TLD measurements was carried out in Surrey for two years. Some results are presented for measurements of patient absorbed dose in diagnostic radiology. (Author)