Experimental microdosimetry: history, applications and recent technical advances

The invention of tissue-equivalent proportional counters simulating micrometre diameter volumes, intended to measure the linear energy transfer of a radiation field, resulted in a practical demonstration of the stochastic nature of energy deposition in small volumes. Besides contributing to a better understanding of the interactions between ionising radiation and biological systems, these detectors have had a significant impact on applied radiation dosimetry. The initial instruments were elegant but suitable only for laboratory experiments because of their sensitivity to environmental conditions and the complex support systems they required. However, their ability to separate the dose due to neutrons from that delivered by photons motivated detector design modifications that eventually resulted in robust detectors suitable for use as radiation survey instruments. Proportional counters simulating micrometre tissue volumes turned out to be the ideal detectors for monitoring the complex radiation environments, including on the space shuttle and International Space Station, and have served as the primary active dosimeters in space for nearly two decades. The need for more sophisticated measurements has led to further improvements in detector design, and the need for smaller and lighter dosimeters is motivating further developments in both detectors and data processing systems.