Development of fluorescent nuclear track detector technology for mixed radiation field dosimetry
Jeff Sykora
Landauer Inc.
Oklahoma State University, Department of Physics
Experiences in a Ph.D. program in physics are one of a kind, focused on but not limited to science. I will talk about my recent adventures transitioning from an undergraduate at Creighton to finishing Ph.D. work at Oklahoma State University. I will also discuss my research summarized below.
A new method of measuring fast neutrons and photon radiation was developed. The new method combines Al2O3:C,Mg crystals (or any other fluorescent material) irradiated in mixed neutron-gamma fields, a modified confocal laser scanning imaging technique and new image processing routines. A new analog parameter was derived from spatial frequency analysis of the fluorescence images and was found to be proportional to the absorbed dose of neutron, gamma and beta radiation. A method of discriminating neutron from gamma induced signal was developed by applying spatial frequency analysis to fluorescence images behind two converters: hydrogen containing polyethylene and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE or Teflon®) that does not have any hydrogen.