Thermoluminescent response of LiF and Li2B4O7:Mn to pions

LiF (TLD-100, TLD-600, and TLD-700) and Li2B4O7:Mn (TLD-800) have been exposed to pi+ and pi- beams over the clinically useful range of 0.05-4 Gy (5-400 rad). Thermoluminescence response curves were determined for the 200 degrees C and 260 degrees C and 260 degrees C glow peaks in LiF and for the 200 degrees C peak in Li2B4O7 when the dosemeters were exposed in the peak and plateau regions of the Bragg curve. TLD-700 appears to be suited for use in pion dosimetry since it is capable of measuring both total and high-LET dose by utilising the 200 and 260 degrees C peaks. TLD-100, TLD-600, and TLD-800 will not be useful because the neutrons emitted from pi- capture result in an enhanced dose to the thermoluminescence dosemeters via (n, alpha) reactions which cannot be extracted from the data. Linearity and fading of each glow peak was also investigated.