Photon and fast neutron dosimetry using aluminium oxide thermoluminescence dosemeters in a pool-type research reactor

Al2O3:Mg,Y thermoluminescence (TL) dosemeters were used to measure photon and fast neutron doses in the mixed radiation field of the Portuguese Research Reactor. The dosemeters were irradiated in core positions under a photon dose rate of the order of 104 Gy/h and a fast neutron flux in the range of 109–1011 n/cm2/s. In order to evaluate the ability of the TL dosemeters for mixed field dosimetry at the research reactor, the measurements were compared with results obtained via conventional methods. The agreement between the different methods is better than 13% for the determination of photon doses and within 5% for the determination of neutron fluxes in mixed fields.