Tracking the spread of radioactive material is of utmost importance in the event of a radiological incident. Information on the distribution of contamination is required both to guide evacuation and to plan responses while minimizing the risk to all involved. In this project, BTI is developing a small, low cost radiation dosimeter that can be quickly and easily be deployed by the thousands over a contaminated area, providing a detailed map of the contamination pattern.

The dosimeter consists of a single crystal of Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) material, which acts as the detector’s sensitive volume, a laser diode to stimulate emission from the crystal, and a photodiode to detect the emission. This design lends itself well to miniaturization and system-on-chip architecture and is integrated with control, read-out and communication electronics to create a self-organizing network of sensors for contamination mapping. The program is being executed in collaboration with DRDC-Ottawa (lead federal agency) and Health Canada, as well as the University of Toronto.