Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) provides a level of flexibility and accuracy that is unmatched by earlier thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) and film dosimeter technology. Landauer is the world leader in OSL innovation, providing customers with the best technology for precise measurement of radiation dose and accurate long-term exposure tracking.

• OSL technology uses light to measure the dose. It is a significantly faster process in comparison with heating the detector during thermoluminescence readout. The light exposure can be controlled with very high precision and as a result, the accuracy of dosimetric measurements is greatly improved.

• OSL allows for multiple readouts and is used routinely to re-confirm reported radiation doses. Only a fraction of the radiation exposure signal contained in the Al₂O₃ material is depleted upon stimulation with the green light. Current TLD dosimeters can be analyzed only once and film cannot be re-developed to correct for processing errors.

• The retention of dose enables archiving of the detector for future dose evaluations.

• OSL has a high degree of environmental stability. Heat, humidity, or chemical solvents do not affect the detector.

• High levels of sensitivity and a wide range of doses provide measuring capabilities down to 10 µGy (1 mrad) up to exposures as high as 100 Gy (10,000 rad). Current technologies would be challenged to achieve such a wide dynamic range.

• A special digital image processing technique allows for two-dimensional quantitative analysis and qualitative image review to differentiate between static and dynamic exposures.

• Landauer OSL technology accurately measures low and high-energy photons, and beta particles.

• The manufacturing process can produce Al₂O₃ crystals in a variety of configurations ranging from bulk single crystals to powders and fibers. Single crystals of Al₂O₃ with different dopants and intrinsic defects can be grown for specialized applications.