Microelectromechanical Transducer to Monitor High-Doses of Nuclear Irradiation
Julien Philippe,
Muriel Ferry,
Samuel Charlot,
Sandrine Assié,
Aurélie Lecestre,
Guillaume Libaude,
André Ferrand,
Patrick Pons,
Hervé Aubert
Affiliations
Julien Philippe
French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems (LAAS), University of Toulouse, Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse (INPT), 7 Avenue du Colonel Roche, 31031 Toulouse, France
Muriel Ferry
Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, Service d’Etude du Comportement des Radionucléides, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
Samuel Charlot
French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems (LAAS), University of Toulouse, Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse (INPT), 7 Avenue du Colonel Roche, 31031 Toulouse, France
Sandrine Assié
French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems (LAAS), University of Toulouse, Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse (INPT), 7 Avenue du Colonel Roche, 31031 Toulouse, France
Aurélie Lecestre
French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems (LAAS), University of Toulouse, Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse (INPT), 7 Avenue du Colonel Roche, 31031 Toulouse, France
Guillaume Libaude
French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems (LAAS), University of Toulouse, Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse (INPT), 7 Avenue du Colonel Roche, 31031 Toulouse, France
André Ferrand
Institut Clément Ader (ICA), Université de Toulouse, Modeling of Systems and Mechanical Microsystems (MS2M), 31400 Toulouse, France
Patrick Pons
French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems (LAAS), University of Toulouse, Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse (INPT), 7 Avenue du Colonel Roche, 31031 Toulouse, France
Hervé Aubert
French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems (LAAS), University of Toulouse, Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse (INPT), 7 Avenue du Colonel Roche, 31031 Toulouse, France
This paper reports the design, fabrication and measured performance of a passive microelectromechanical transducer for the wireless monitoring of high irradiation doses in nuclear environments. The sensing device is composed of a polymer material (high-density polyethylene) sealed inside a cavity. Subjected to ionizing radiation, this material releases various gases, which increases the pressure inside the cavity and deflects a dielectric membrane. From the measurement of the deflection, the variation of the applied pressure can be estimated, and, in turn, the dose may be determined. The microelectromechanical structure can also be used to study and validate the radiolysis properties of the polymer through its gas emission yield factor. Measurement of the dielectric membrane deflection is performed here to validate on the one hand the required airtightness of the cavity exposed to doses about 4 MGy and on the other hand, the functionality of the fabricated dosimeter for doses up to 80 kGy. The selection of appropriate materials for the microelectromechanical device is discussed, and the outgassing properties of the selected high-density polyethylene are analysed. Moreover, the technological fabrication process of the transducer is detailed.
