SURFIN or fibers for dosimetry: a project carried out with ANDRA

Fiber-reinforced sensors based on doped silica are of great interest in the field of radiation protection thanks to their insensitivity to electromagnetic interference, their small size, their flexibility and the capacity for remote control. The doping of silica by active elements, such as Cerium (III) and/or Copper (I) ions, as well as by lattice-modifying oxides such as GeO2, makes it possible to shape the optical properties of vitreous materials. Subsequently, these dopings aim to exacerbate the dosimetric response of the optical fibers by their properties of thermoluminescence (TL), optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) or radioluminescence (RL).

Researchers from the PhLAM laboratory, in collaboration with researchers from InPhyNi (Nice Physics Institute), the Hubert Curien laboratory in Saint Etienne and the Clermont Ferrand Institute of Chemistry, worked for 5 years on the SURFIN project (new materials for optical fiber monitoring of nuclear facilities), funded by the National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management (ANDRA). They were thus able to develop materials and optical fibers for the detection of ionizing radiation in a wide range of dose rates. Their latest publication, published in the IEEE Sensors Journal (doi:/10.1109/JSEN.2023.3248802), presents optical fibers doped with different concentrations of GeO2, obtained by the MCVD (Modified Chemical Vapor Deposition) method. This work demonstrates the existence of an optimal concentration of dopant which makes it possible to obtain an effective sensor in the dose rate range used for radiotherapy (10-100 mGy/sec), with a stable and rapid response.

Réf. Publications :

1. M. Benabdesselam et al., "Ge-doped optical fibers for passive and active radiation detection modes," in IEEE Sensors Journal, doi: 10.1109/JSEN.2023.3248802.
2. M. Cieslikiewicz-Bouet, H. El Hamzaoui, Y. Ouerdane, R. Mahiou, G. Chadeyron, L. Bigot, K. Delplace-Baudelle, R. Habert, S. Plus, A. Cassez, G. Bouwmans, M Bouazaoui, A. Morana, A. Boukenter, S. Girard, B. Capoen, Investigation of the Incorporation of Cerium Ions in MCVD-Silica Glass Preforms for Remote Optical Fiber Radiation Dosimetry, Sensors 21 (2021) 3262 DOI: 10.3390/s21103362.
3. M. Benabdesselam, J. Bahout, F. Mady, W. Blanc, H. El Hamzaoui, A. Cassez, K. Delplace-Baudelle, R. Habert, G. Bouwmans, M. Bouazaoui, B. Capoen, Thermoluminescence Properties of RE-Doped and Co-doped Sol-gel Silica Rods. Application to Passive (OSL) and Real-time (RL) Dosimetry, IEEE Sensors Journal 21 (2021) 27465 DOI:. 10.1109/JSEN.2021.3124602.
4. M. Benabdesselam, F. Mady, A. Guttilla, W. Blanc, H. El Hamzaoui, M. Bouazaoui, N. Al Helou, J. Bahout, G. Bouwmans, B. Capoen, Investigation of thermoluminescence properties of potential fibered- OSL dosimeter materials, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science 67 (2020) 1663 DOI: 10.1109/TNS.2020.2971152.
5. J. Bahout, Y. Ouerdane, H. Hamzaoui, G. Bouwmans, M. Bouazaoui, A. Cassez, K. Baudelle, R. Habert, A. Morana, A. Boukenter, S. Girard, B. Capoen, Cu/ Ce-co-Doped Silica Glass as Radioluminescent Material for Ionizing Radiation Dosimetry, Materials 13 (2020) 2611 DOI: 10.3390/ma13112611.
6. J. Bahout, Y. Ouerdane, H. El Hamzaoui, G. Bouwmans, M. Bouazaoui, A. Cassez, K. Baudelle, R. Habert, A. Boukenter, S. Girard, B. Capoen, Remote Measurements of X- rays Dose Rate using a Cerium-doped Air-clad Optical Fiber, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science 67 (2020) 1658 DOI: 10.1109/TNS.2020.2972043.
7. N. Al Helou, H. El Hamzaoui, B. Capoen, G. Bouwmans, A. Cassez, Y. Ouerdane, A. Boukenter, S. Girard, M. Bouazaoui, Optical responses of a copper-activated sol-gel silica glass under low dose and low dose rate X-ray exposures, OSA Continuum 2 (2019) 563 DOI: 10.1364/OSAC.2.000563.