Best practices for dose rate determination using the μDOSE and μDOSE+ systems

Accurate dose rate determination is crucial for trapped charge dating (TCD) applications, such as using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), thermoluminescence (TL), and electron spin resonance (ESR). The μDOSE and μDOSE+ systems provide efficient solutions for this task through simultaneous α and β-counting along with 220 Rn/ 216 Po, 219 Rn/ 215 Po, 212 Bi/ 212 Po and 214 Bi/ 214 Po decay pair detection. This paper outlines practical guidelines and optimized laboratory procedures that enhance the performance and data reliability of these systems. We detail critical protocols, including sample homogenization methods to minimize α-particle overcounting, standardized calibration routines using International Atomic Energy Agency reference materials to ensure the reliability of instrument output data, and strategies for managing laboratory environmental conditions such as airborne 222 Rn interference through automated measurement delays. Furthermore, we address the necessity of isolating the systems from external high activity sources, such as built-in β radioactive sources in luminescence readers, for obtaining the lowest systems backgrounds. While these systems are commercially available, this paper represents the comprehensive compilation of operational best practices derived from years of extensive experience since the first introduction of these systems in 2018. We show that adopting these practices reduces measurement uncertainty, optimizes the measurement time, and improves system stability to ensure high-precision dose rate results for TCD chronologies.