Radiation accident dosimetry on electronic components by OSL

Area of Science:

• Radiation dosimetry
• Materials science
• Nuclear safety

Background:

• Accurate retrospective dosimetry is crucial for managing large-scale radiation accidents and terrorism events.
• Non-invasive methods are needed for rapid population triage to identify individuals requiring medical attention.
• Electronic components offer potential as dosimeters due to their widespread availability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility of using mobile phone electronic components for retrospective dosimetry.
• To evaluate the performance of Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL), Infrared Stimulated Luminescence (IRSL), and Thermoluminescence (TL) techniques on these components.
• To identify the most suitable components and luminescence techniques for radiation accident dosimetry.

Main Methods:

• Selected electronic components (resistors, capacitors, integrated circuits) from mobile phones were irradiated.
• Luminescence signals (OSL, IRSL, TL) were measured to assess radiation response.
• Key dosimetric properties including preheating effects, sensitization, dose-response linearity, dose recovery, and signal stability were investigated.

Main Results:

• Most electronic components exhibited measurable radiation-induced luminescence signals.
• Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) demonstrated the most promising results for these materials.
• Three component types showed excellent OSL characteristics (sensitivity, annealing) with dose-responses evaluated from 0.7 Gy to 160 Gy.

Conclusions:

• Mobile phone electronic components, particularly resistors, capacitors, and integrated circuits, are viable candidates for retrospective dosimetry.
• OSL dosimetry using these components offers a promising, non-invasive approach for post-radiation accident assessment.
• Further evaluation of interests and limitations is necessary for practical implementation in emergency scenarios.