Advancement and application of bubble detector technology

Every field is searching for it's better mouse trap, and the field of dosimetry is no different. Until recently, a dosimetrist would have been hard-pressed to identify an affordable and yet reliably accurate dosimeter for mixed neutron and gamma fields. A new technology has reared it head and is vying for position in the dosimetry community. This relatively young technology is building upon the foundation of the bubble chamber, conceptualized by Glaser in 1952 (Glaser 1952). Although the attitudes surrounding this technology, as with any new development, are somewhat mixed, with the proper combination of tweaking and innovative thought, applications of this technology hold great promise for the future of neutron dosimetry. The Dosimetry Applications Research (DOSAR) facility of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is looking into some innovative applications of this technology. We are investigating options for overcoming its limiting features in hopes of achieving an unprecedented level of proficiency in neutron detection. Among these are the developing and testing of a Combination Area Neutron Spectrometer, CANS, assessing the plausibility of extremity applications, the assembly of an alternative reader for research, investigation of temperature-related effects and how to correct them and considerations on the coming of age of neutronmore » dosimetry via real time detection of bubble formation in Bubble Technology Industries Inc. (BTI) detectors. In the space allowed, we will attempt to answer the questions: (1) What areas hold the greatest promise for application of this emerging technology (2) What obstacles must be overcome before full-blown application becomes a reality ; and (3) What might the future hold 11 refs., 6 figs., 3 tabs.« less