Zener diodes for gamma-ray radiation dosimetry

The fundamental properties of Zener diodes and junction field-effect transistors have been studied to use them as a relative dose monitor or a radiation-damage monitor. The response observed at liquid nitrogen temperature, i.e., radiation-induced change in the breakdown voltage of the Zener diode, or change in the breakdown voltage of the pn junction between the gate and the channel (or between the substrate gate and the channel) of the junction field-effect transistor as a function of dose, has shown good linearity. The diode of Toshiba 05Z18 has been found to be useful for doses between 1 and 100 MGy with the fading of response less than 10% for 100 h after irradiation. On the other hand, the junction field-effect transistors of Mitsubishi 2SK33 has proved useful in the region between 0.1 and 10 MGy with the build-up of responses less than 5% for 100 h. The response of both the junction field-effect transistor and the Zener diode has shown a reproducibility within ±5%. For fast readout, a simple system consisting essentially of a constant-current source together with a digital voltmeter has been constructed. For practical application, the devices from which soldered leads are taken off can be used simply to measure relative doses in various materials