First Results of a Scintillating GEM Detector for 2-D Dosimetry in an Alpha Beam

Author

Seravalli, Enrica ; Hendrikse, Jeffrey ; Huizenga, Jan ; Kreuger, Rob ; Schippers, J. Marco ; Simon, Andrea ; Van Eijk, Carel W E

Author_Institution

Stichting voor Fundamenteel Onderzoek der Materie, Utrecht

Volume

54

Issue

4

fYear

2007

Firstpage

1271

Lastpage

1278

Abstract

The characterization of a scintillating GEM based gas detector for quality control of clinical radio-therapeutic beams is presented. Photons emitted by the Ar/CF₄ gas mixture are detected by means of a CCD camera; in addition, the charge is measured. The detector response has been studied as a function of alpha particle energy and dose rate. The measured signal underestimation, at the Bragg peak depth, is only few percent with respect to an air filled ionization chamber.

Keywords

alpha-particle detection; dosimetry; electron multiplier detectors; gas mixtures; gas scintillation detectors; ionisation chambers; quality control; radiation therapy; 2-D dosimetry; Ar-CF₄ - System; Bragg peak depth; CCD camera; air filled ionization chamber; alpha beam; alpha particle energy; clinical radiotherapeutic beam quality control; dose rate; gas mixture; gas scintillation; ionization density; scintillating gas electron multiplier detector; Alpha particles; Argon; Charge coupled devices; Charge measurement; Charge-coupled image sensors; Current measurement; Dosimetry; Gas detectors; Ionization chambers; Quality control; Dosimetry; gas electron multiplier (GEM); gas scintillation; ionization density;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9499

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TNS.2007.903179

Filename

4291789