A new sensitive system for measurement of thermally and optically stimulated luminescence

An automatic system developed at RisO National Laboratory for measuring thermally and optically stimulated luminescence (TL, OSL) is widely used for radiation dose measurements. In the present model, high excitation and detection efficiencies were attempted, but inevitably there is a constant demand for improvements that would allow lower doses (or less sensitive materials) to be measured, with increased accuracy. This article reports on a new generation of designs that are intended to meet these demands. Substantial increases in sensitivity of the instruments are made by replacing the lens optics of the system with a combination of ellipsoidal mirrors and light guides, which also serve to make the system more flexible in choice of excitation source when OSL measurements are required. A variety of new light sources might be employed, adapted to allow the most efficient wavelengths of excitation to be used for the particular dosemeter under study. The capabilities and characteristics of the new design are described, and comparison with the existing TL/OSL system is made throughout the article.