A photoacoustical radiation dosimeter.

A new type of radiation dosimeter using the photoacoustical effect is described. The photoacoustical radiation dosimeter (PARD) is capable of directly measuring the energy absorbed in the detecting element. For a completely absorbing element, the energy fluence rate in the radiation beam is measured. It is thus a calorimetric dosimeter. Since the energy sensor can be calibrated with another form of energy, it has the potential for being an absolute radiation dosemeter. Measurements were made using 50 to 100 kVp x rays with exposure rates at the detector of 2.6 x 10(-6) C/kg/s (10 mR/s) to 5 x 10(-5) C/kg/s (200 mR/s). The minimum measurable exposure rate at 90 kVp is 5 x 10(-7) C/kg/s (2 mR/s). For a given x-ray spectrum, the PARD has a linear response with radiation intensity and an inverse response with chopping frequency. With appropriate design parameters, we believe the PARD may be used to measure any photon energy or any type of radiation particle.