Dosimetric Properties of Watch Glass: A Potential Practical ESR Dosemeter for Nuclear Accidents

Abstract

Some essential dosimetric properties of watch glass, such as dose response, signal stability, environmental effects, and background distribution were investigated with ESR techniques. With a special testing method suitable for plate shaped samples and with relatively high dielectrical consumption, a good linear dose response (r=0.9950) in the range 0-50 Gy and a low detectable threshold of less than 2 Gy were achieved. The irradiation induced signal of g=2.0082 had a decay of about 20% during the first 24 hours after irradiation at room temperature. The speed of decay was slower at lower storage temperatures. By a simple heating process, the original background level of the irradiated samples could be obtained exactly. The above characteristics suggested that watch glass was an appropriate ESR dosimetric material for nuclear accidental dose evaluation.