A new radiation dosimeter using a pyroelectric detector

We describe a new type of radiation dosimeter, for the diagnostic x-ray region, using a pyroelectric detector. It consists of a PZT ceramic crystal thick enough to absorb all the incident radiation at 33 keV. This pyroelectric radiation dosimeter (PERD) produces an electrical signal when exposed to a chopped beam of x-ray photons. The PERD is basically a microcalorimeter. It has the following characteristics: (1) it responds linearly to the energy fluence rate of the radiation; (2) it responds linearly to the radiation intensity for a given radiation spectrum; (3) it has excellent stability; (4) it is simple to construct and inexpensive; and (5) it is rugged.