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No description available.

The purpose of this research was to develop and test a radiation detector to perform beta dosimetry and spectroscopy. The detector utilizes plastic scintillator volumes to produce scintillation light in proportion to the amount of energy deposited in them, and a large-area avalanche photodiode to convert the light to electrical signals. Pulse processing electronics transform the electrical signals into a format useful for analysis, and various software programs are used to analyze the resulting data. The detector proved capable of measuring dose, as compared to Monte Carlo n-Particle simulations, to within about 50% or better, depending on geometry and source type. Spectroscopy results, in conjunction with MCNP-based spectral enhancement methods, proved the detector capable of recording beta spectra with endpoint energies greater than about 250 keV. The detector shows promise for further development as a portable beta detector for field use in beta-contaminated areas. / Graduation date: 2005