Beta primary standard for radiation protection purposes

As of mid-2023, PTB operates a new beta primary standard (BPS2) measuring facility for the unit of the absorbed dose rate of beta radiation in tissue for the field of radiation protection (low dose rates at great distances from the radiation source). As its former beta primary standard (BPS1), it comprises a variable volume extrapolation ionization chamber, a highly sensitive charge measuring system, a highly precise voltage source for the chamber voltage, a distance meter for measuring the chamber depth and instruments for measuring the parameters of the environment (temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity of the air). Control of the measuring assembly and data acquisition are ensured by a software program installed on a PC.

Together with this new BPS2, PTB applies the updated standard series ISO 6980 on reference beta-particle radiation fields: part 1, part 2 and part 3.

The changes of using the new primary standard BPS2 and the updated ISO 6980 are described in a peer reviewed publication: R. Behrens: New Beta Primary Standard (BPS2) and revised ISO 6980 at PTB. Metrologia (2023).

Literature describing PTB's new beta primary standard (BPS2)

1. New Beta Primary Standard (BPS2) and revised ISO 6980 at PTB
   Metrologia (2023)
   
   
2. Behrens, R.:
   Correction factors for two new reference beta radiation fields
   Metrologia (2020)
   
   
3. Behrens, R.:
   Correction factors for primary beta dosimetry
   Metrologia (2020)

Literature describing PTB's former beta primary standard (BPS1, meaning a Böhm chamber)

1. Böhm, J.:
   The National Primary Standard of the PTB for Realizing the Unit of the Absorbed Dose Rate to Tissue for Beta Radiation
   PTB-Bericht: PTB-Dos-13 (1986), ISSN 0172-7095
   
   
2. Drake, K.-H., Böhm, J.:
   Automatisierter Messstand für die Dosimetrie von Betastrahlung
   PTB-Bericht: PTB-Dos-19 (1990), ISBN 3-89429-012-9