New Devices for Individual Neutron Dosimetry

This paper deals with the design and fabrication of three new dosimetric sensors to be used in personal radiation monitoring. The first two sensors, double diode and streamer chamber, are based on the same particle detection principle, the last is a multicellular tissue-equivalent proportional counter. Each dosimetric sensor has a preferential range of applications. The double diode dosemeter, called DIAC, is the least sensitive, but can be reduced to the size of an 'electronic credit card' weighing a few 10s of grams. Two versions of the streamer chamber have been developed, the first corresponding to a personal device called DINE and the second to an ambient device called DANE. These two sensors are much more sensitive than the DIAC. The last sensor, studied in the SDOS laboratory, is a multicellular proportional counter called MC-TEPC. Giving both the dose and the dose equivalent quantities, it is more suitable for a good evaluation of the radiation risk but many problems due to gas aging have to be solved.