Ionizing Radiation Detectors Based on Ge-Doped Optical Fibers Inserted in Resonant Cavities

Year: 2015

Authors: Avino S., D’Avino V., Giorgini A., Pacelli R., Liuzzi R., Cella L., De Natale P., Gagliardi G.

Autors Affiliation: CNR, INO, I-80078 Pozzuoli, Na, Italy; CNR, Ist Biostrutture & Bioimmagini, I-80131 Naples, Italy; Univ Naples Federico II, Dipartimento Sci Biomed Avanzate, I-80131 Naples, Italy; CNR, INO, I-50125 Florence, Italy.

Abstract: The measurement of ionizing radiation (IR) is a crucial issue in different areas of interest, from environmental safety and industrial monitoring to aerospace and medicine. Optical fiber sensors have recently proven good candidates as radiation dosimeters. Here we investigate the effect of IR on germanosilicate optical fibers. A piece of Ge-doped fiber enclosed between two fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) is irradiated with gamma radiation generated by a 6 MV medical linear accelerator. With respect to other FBG-based IR dosimeters, here the sensor is only the bare fiber without any special internal structure. A near infrared laser is frequency locked to the cavity modes for high resolution measurement of radiation induced effects on the fiber optical parameters. In particular, we observe a variation of the fiber thermo-optic response with the radiation dose delivered, as expected from the interaction with Ge defect centers, and demonstrate a detection limit of 360 mGy. This method can have an impact in those contexts where low radiation doses have to be measured both in small volumes or over large areas, such as radiation therapy and radiation protection, while bare optical fibers are cheap and disposable.

Journal/Review: SENSORS

Volume: 15 (2)      Pages from: 4242  to: 4252

More Information: The authors acknowledge support by Italian Ministry for Education and Research (MIUR) with the project FIRB RBFR10Q0PT_001 \”DROPS\”. The authors acknowledge Gianluca Notariale and Andrea Finizio for technical support and Giuseppe Palma for helpful discussions.
KeyWords: Accident prevention; Dosimeters; Dosimetry; Fiber optic sensors; Fibers; Germanium; Infrared devices; Infrared lasers; Ionizing radiation; Optical fibers; Optical materials; Optical resonators; Radiation; Radiation detectors; Radiation effects; Radiation protection; Radiation shielding, Environmental safety; Fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs); High-resolution measurements; Industrial monitoring; Near-infrared lasers; Optical fiber sensor; Radiation dosimeters; Radiation-induced effects, Fiber Bragg gratings, glass fiber, fiber optics; ionizing radiation; procedures, Fiber Optic Technology; Optical Fibers; Radiation, Ionizing
DOI: 10.3390/s150204242

Citations: 6
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