New OSL detector combination for albedo neutron dosimetry

A new detector pair of alpha-Al2O3:C + Li2B4O7:Cu,Ag, based on evaluation using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) technique, was placed in the Karlsruhe type albedo cassette and its neutron response was studied in monoenergetic neutron fields with energies in the range from 24 key to 14.8 MeV and in the field of a bare Cf-252 radionuclide source. The ability and usefulness of such an albedo neutron dosimeter for personnel neutron monitoring based on OSL technique is discussed. The OSL Hp(10) response of the alpha-Al2O3:C + Li2B4O7:Cu,Ag dosimeters was found to decrease by more than two orders of magnitude with increasing neutron energy, as known for albedo dosimeters and was comparable to the results reported for the combination of alpha-Al2O3:C + (LiF)-Li-6,7 OSL dosimeters. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.