Patent GB-1479285-A (GB)
Title: Thermoluminescence dosimeter reader
IPC: G01T1/115
Filed: 1973-08-17
Abstract: 1479285 Dosimeter read-out D A PITMAN Ltd 16 Aug 1974 [17 Aug 1973] 38989/73 Heading G1A [Also in Division H3] In a dosimeter read-out apparatus, a photomultiplier circuit is provided with a feedback loop to the E.H.T. supply to provide automatic gain stabilisation, so as to compensate for detector drift due to fluctuations in ambient temperature, fatigue, ageing, collection of dirt on light path elements or photo-multiplier window, or drift in circuit parameters whose temperature coefficient permits such change. The photo-multiplier output is converted into a pulse signal whose repetition rate is sensed by a ratemeter, Fig. 3a, operating by charging a capacitor 13, on the occurrence of each pulse, from a constant current source 9, in opposition to a reference voltage 113, the ratemeter output being applied during the automatic stabilisation mode, to an integrator for control of the E.H.T. As shown in Fig. 1, the reader includes a photomultiplier 102 fitted with an infrared filter, which can monitor radiation from either a standard source 104, e.g. a radio-isotope dispersed in a plastics scintillator, or the dosimeter 105, to be read, these being held in a drawer 103, which causes opening of a switch when moved to put the dosimeter 105 under the detector. When the standard source is under the detector, the feedback loop is operative. Device 111 is a calibration control for the sensitivity of the circuit and is pre-set in the factory; unit 110 however includes a manually adjustable 5-digit thumbwheel switch by which the gain of the system can be altered in steps from 1 to 1000. Before a measurement on a dosimeter, the unit 110 is adjusted and the drawer positioned for automatic gain stabilization. The photo-multiplier output is converted by converter 107, which is a high speed linear device including a capacitor network, into a pulse sequence of repetition rate proportional to the detector current level. The ratemeter output is modified by the setting of the sensitivity control 110, to obtain at point 112 a voltage which is used to supply integrator to cause its output to drop towards zero and alter the E.H.T. supply of the tube. The gain of the system stabilizes when the mean voltage at point 112 reaches zero. The drawer can now be moved for read-out of the dosimeter. This causes switch 114 to open, the E.H.T. supply being held constant by the storage characteristics of the integrator 115, which is a high gain, single-ended differential integrator with a MOSFET buffer input and a stable virtual earth and consists basically of a low input current operational amplifier with capacitative feedback. The dosimeter is heated and a reading obtained on scaler 108, a six digit display device which integrates over a pre-set time interval. The circuit of Fig. 3a also shows a Zener diode 8 providing the reference potential for use in device 113 and in association with the control unit 110. The variation of gain when the drawer positions are altered or the control 110 is changed is illustrated in Figs. 2a-2b (not shown) which demonstrate how slight overshoot occurs before the sensitivity settles to the desired level.