Neutron contribution to CaF2:Mn thermoluminescent dosimeter response in mixed (n/γ) field environments

Thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs), particularly CaF₂:Mn, are often used as photon dosimeters in mixed (n/γ) field environments. In these mixed field environments, it is desirable to separate the photon response of a dosimeter from the neutron response. For passive dosimeters that measure an integral response, such as TLDs, the separation of the two components must be performed by postexperiment analysis because the TLD reading system cannot distinguish between photon- and neutron-produced response. Using a model of an aluminum-equilibrated TLD-400 (CaF₂:Mn) chip, a systematic effort has been made to analytically determine the various components that contribute to the neutron response of a TLD reading. The calculations were performed for five measured reactor neutron spectra and one theoretical thermal neutron spectrum. The five measured reactor spectra all have experimental values for aluminum-equilibrated TLD-400 chips. Calculations were used to determine the percentage of the total TLD response produced by neutron interactions in the TLD and aluminum equilibrator. These calculations will aid the Sandia National Laboratories-Radiation Metrology Laboratory (SNL-RML) in the interpretation of the uncertainty for TLD dosimetry measurements in the mixed field environments produced by SNL reactor facilities.