INTERNATIONAL ISO

STANDARD 4037-1

Second edition
2019-01

Radiological protection - X and

gamma reference radiation for
calibrating dosemeters and doserate
meters and for determining their
response as a function of photon
energy-
Part 1:
Radiation characteristics and
production methods
Radioprotection - Rayonnements X et gamma de référence
pour l'étalonnage des dosimétres et des débitmétres, et pour la
détermination de leur réponse enfonction de l'énergie des photons-
Partie 1: Caractéristiques des rayonnements et méthodes de
production

Reference number
ISO 4037-1:2019(E)

© ISO 2019
ISO 4037-1:2019(E)

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 ISO 4037-1:2019(E)

Contents Page

Foreword v
Introduction vi
1 Scope 1
2 Normative references 3
3 Terms and definitions 3
4 Continuous reference filtered X radiation 7
4.1 General 7
4.1.1 Realisation of reference radiation fields 7
4.1.2 Basis of conversion coefficients 7
4.1.3 Radiation quality 8
4.1.4 Choice of reference radiation 8
4.2 Conditions and methods for producing reference X radiation 13
4.2.1 Characteristics of the high voltage generator 13
4.2.2 Tube potential and protective resistor 14
4.2.3 Filtration 15
4.2.4 Limitations concerning matched fields 19
4.2.5 X radiation shutter 20
4.2.6 Beam aperture ~ 20
4.3 Field uniformity and scattered radiation 20
4.3.1 Field diameter 20
4.3.2 Field uniformity 20
4.3.3 Scattered radiation 20
4.4 Summary ofthe requirements for reference X radiation fields 21
4.5 Validation of reference X radiation 21
4.5.1 General.. 21
4.5.2 Criteria for validation by HVL determination 22
4.5.3 Apparatus for HVL measurement 23
4.5.4 HVL measurement procedure 24
4.5.5 Criteria for validation by dosimetry 24
4.5.6 Criteria for validation by spectrometry 24
5 Gammaradiation emitted by radionuclides 25
5.1 General 25
5.2 Radionuclides used for the production of gamma radiation 25
5.3 Specification of radiation sources 25
5.3.1 Sources 25
5.3.2 Encapsulation 26
5.4 Irradiation facility and influence of scattered radiation 26
5.4.1 General requirements 26
5.4.2 Collimated geometry installation 26
5.4.3 Variation of air kerma rate by means of lead attenuators 27
5.5 Checking installation conformity 27
6 Photon radiation with energies between 4 MeV and 9 MeV 28
6.1 General 28
6.2 Production of reference radiation 28
6.2.1 General.. 28
6.2.2 Photon reference radiation from de-excitation ofl60 in the 19F(p, ay)160
reaction 28
6.2.3 Photon reference radiation from de-excitation of 12C 30
6.3 Beam diameter and uniformity ofradiation field 31
6.4 Contamination ofphoton reference radiation 31
6.4.1 General.. 31

© ISO 2019- All rights reserved iii

ISO4037-1:2019(E)

6.4.2 Contamination of reference radiation common to all methods of

production of reference radiation _ 32
6.4.3 Additional contamination of accelerator produced reference radiation
from de-excitation of 160 32
Annex A (informative) Fluorescence X radiation with not enough information for matched
or characterized fields 33
Annex B (informative) Gamma radiation emitted by 241Am radionuclide with notenough
information for matched or characterized fields 40
Annex C (informative) Continuous filtered X radiation based on the quality index ..42
Bibliography 45

iv © ISO 2019 - AlI rights reserved

 ISO 4037-1:2019(E)

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation ofnational standard s
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (lEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.

The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/lEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules ofthe ISO/lEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list ofpatent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).

Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.

For an explanation on the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principIes in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see the following
URL: www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.

This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 85, Nuclear enerqy, nuclear technologies
and radiological protection, Subcommittee SC 2, Radiological protection.

This second edition cancel s and replaces the first edition (ISO 4037-1:1996), which has been technically
revised. The main changes are:

introduction of two types of reference fields, matched reference fields and characterized
reference fields;

introduction ofvalidation for matched reference fields;

introduction of limits for the allowed deviation of parameters like high voltage, filter purity and
filter thickness from their nominal values. These limits now depend on the definition depth of the
phantom related quantity. This is done to achieve an overall uncertainty (k = 2) of about 6 % to 10 %
for the phantom related operational quantities.
A list of all the parts in the ISO 4037 series can be found on the ISO website.

Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user's national standards body. A
complete listing ofthese bodies can be found at www.iso.orgjmembers.html.

© ISO 2019 - All rights reserved v

ISO4037-1:2019(E)

Introduction
This maintenance release of this document incorporates the improvements to high voltage generators
from 1996 to 2017 (e.g., the use of high frequency switching supplies providing nearly constant
potential), and the spectral measurements at irradiation facilities equipped with such generators
(e.g., the catalogue of X-ray spectra by Ankerholdlsl). It also incorporates all published information
with the aim to adjust the requirements for the technical parameters of the reference fields to the
targeted overall uncertainty of about 6 % to 10 % for the phantom related operational quantities of
the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU)L2l.It does not change the
general concept ofthe existing ISO 4037.

ISO 4037 focusing on photon reference radiation fields is divided into four parts. ISO 4037-1 gives the
methods of production and characterization of reference radiation fields in terms of the quantities
spectral photon fluence and air kerma free-in-air. ISO 4037-2 describes the dosimetry of the reference
radiation qualities in terms of air kerma and in terms of the phantom related operational quantities of
the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU)[5.l,ISO 4037-3 describes
the methods for calibrating and determining the response of dosemeters and doserate meter s in terms
of the phantom related operational quantities of the ICRU[5.l,ISO 4037-4 gives special considerations
and additional requirements for calibration of area and personal dosemeters in low energy X reference
radiation fields, which are reference fields with generating potentiallower or equal to 30 kV.

The general procedures described in ISO 29661 are used as far as possible in this documento AIso, the
symbols used are in line with ISO 29661.

vi © ISO 2019 - All rights reserved

INTERNATIONALSTANDARD ISO4037-1:2019(E)

Radiological protection - X and gamma reference

radiation for calibrating dosemeters and doserate meters
and for determining their response as a function of photon
energy-
Part 1:
Radiation characteristics and production methods

1 Scope
This document specifies the characteristics and production methods of X and gamma reference
radiation for calibrating protectíon-level dosemeters and doserate meters with respect to the phantom
related operational quantities of the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements
(ICRU)[5.l,The lowest air kerma rate for which this standard is applicable is 1 ~Gy h-1. Below this air
kerma rate the (natural) background radiation needs special consideration and this is not included in
this documento

For the radiation qualities specified in Clauses 4 to º'

sufficient published information is available to
specify the requirements for all relevant parameters ofthe matched or characterized reference fields in
order to achieve the targeted overall uncertainty (k = 2) of about 6 % to 10 % for the phantom related
operational quantities. The X ray radiation fields described in the informative Annexes A to .c are not
designated as reference X-radiation fields.

NOTE The first edition of ISO 4037-1, issued in 1996, included some additional radiation qualities for
which such published information is not available. These are fluorescent radiations, the gamma radiation of the
radionuclide 241Am, S-Am, and the high energy photon radiations R-Ti and R-Ni, which have been removed from
the main part of this documento The most widely used radíatíons, the fluorescent radiations and the gamma
radiation ofthe radionuclide 241Am, S-Am, are included nearly unchanged in the informative Annexes A and B..
The informative Annex e gives additional X radiation fields, which are specified by the quality index.

The methods for producing a group of reference radiations for a particular photon-energy range are
described in Clauses 4 to ~ which define the characteristics of these radiations. The three groups of
reference radiation are:

a) in the energy range from about 8 keV to 330 keV, continuous filtered X radiation;

b) in the energy range 600 keV to 1,3 MeV,gamma radiation emitted by radionuclides;

c) in the energy range 4 MeV to 9 MeV,photon radiation produced by accelerators.

The reference radiation field most suitable for the intended application can be selected from Table 1,
which gives an overview of all reference radiation qualities specified in Clauses 4 to .6. It does not
include the radiations specified in the Annexes A, B.and C.

The requirements and methods given in Clauses 4 to .6 are targeted at an overall uncertainty (k = 2) of
the dose(rate) value of about 6 % to 10 % for the phantom related operational quantities in the reference
fields. To achieve this, two production methods are proposed:

The first one is to produce "matched reference fields", whose properties are sufficiently well-
characterized so as to allow the use of the conversion coefficients recommended in ISO 4037-3.
The existence of only a small difference in the spectral distribution of the "matched reference fíeld"
compared to the nominal reference field is validated by procedures, which are given and described in
detail in ISO 4037-2. For matched reference radiation fields, recommended conversion coefficients are
given in ISO 4037-3 only for specified distances between source and do se meter, e.g., 1,0 m and 2,5 m.

© ISO2019 - Allrights reserved 1

ISO4037-1:2019(E)

For other distances, the user has to decide if these conversion coefficients can be used. If both values
are very similar, e.g., differ only by 2 % or less, then a linear interpolation may be used.

The second method is to produce "characterized reference fields". Either this is done by determining
the conversion coefficients using spectrometry, or the required value is measured directly using
secondary standard dosimeters. This method applies to any radiation quality, for any measuring
quantity and, if applicable, for any phantom and angle of radiation incidence. In addition, the
requirements on the parameters specifying the reference radiations depend on the definition depth in
the phantom, í.e., 0,07 mm, 3 mm and 10 mm, therefore, the requirements are different for the different
depths. Thus, a given radiation field can be a "matched reference field" for the depth of 0,07 mm but
not for the depth of 10 mm, for which it can then be a "characterized reference field". The conversion
coefficients can be determined for any distance, provided the air kerma rate is not below 1llGyfh.

Both methods need charged particle equilibrium for the reference field. However, this is not always
established in the workplace field for which the dosemeter is calibrated. This is especially true
at photon energies without inherent charged particle equilibrium at the reference depth d, which
depends on the actual combination of energy and reference depth d. Electrons of energies above 65 keV,
0,75 MeV and 2,1 MeV can just penetrate 0,07 mm, 3 mm and 10 mm of ICRU tissue, respectively, and
the radiation qualities with photon energies above these values are considered as radiation qualities
without inherent charged particle equilibrium for the quantities defined at these depths.

To determine the dose(rate) value and the associated overall uncertainty of it, a calibration of all
measuring instruments used for the determination of the quantity value is needed which is traceable to
national standards.

This document does not specify pulsed reference radiation fields.

Table 1 - List of Xand gamma reference radiation, their mean energies, E ( cp ), for 1 m distance
and their short names
Radiation Radiation Radiation Radiation
quality
E(CP ) quality
E(CP ) quality
E(CP) quality
E(CP )
keV keV keV keV
L-I0 9,0 N-lO 8,5 W-30 22,9 H-10 8,0
L-20 17,3 N-15 12,4 W-40 29,8 H-20 13,1
L-30 26,7 N-20 16,3 W-60 44,8 H-30 19,7
L-35 30,4 N-25 20,3 W-80 56,5 H-40 25,4
L-55 47,8 N-30 24,6 W-110 79,1 H-60 38,0
L-70 60,6 N-40 33,3 W-150 104 H-80 48,8
L-I00 86,8 N-60 47,9 W-200 138 H-I00 57,3
L-125 109 N-80 65,2 W-250 172 H-150 78,0
L-170 149 N-I00 83,3 W-300 205 H-200 99,3
L-210 185 N-120 100 H-250 122
L-240 211 N-150 118 H-280 145
N-200 165 H-300 143
N-250 207 H-350 167
N-300 248 H-400 190
N-350 288
N-400 328

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