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Title: Technical Note: Influence of Compton currents on profile measurements in small-volume ion chambers

Abstract

Purpose: This work is to evaluate the effects of Compton current generation in three small-volume ionization chambers on measured beam characteristics for electron fields. Methods: Beam scans were performed using Exradin A16, A26, and PTW 31014 microchambers. Scans with varying chamber components shielded were performed. Static point measurements, output factors, and cable only irradiations were performed to determine the contribution of Compton currents to various components of the chamber. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to evaluate why one microchamber showed a significant reduction in Compton current generation. Results: Beam profiles demonstrated significant distortion for two of the three chambers when scanned parallel to the chamber axis, produced by electron deposition within the wire. Measurements of ionization produced within the cable identified Compton current generation as the cause of these distortions. The size of the central collecting wire was found to have the greatest influence on the magnitude of Compton current generation. Conclusions: Microchambers can demonstrate significant (>5%) deviations from properties as measured with larger volume chambers (0.125 cm{sup 3} and above). These deviations can be substantially reduced by averaging measurements conducted at opposite polarities.

Authors:
; ;  [1]
  1. Standard Imaging, 3120 Deming Way, Middleton, Wisconsin 53562 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22482339
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Medical Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 42; Journal Issue: 10; Other Information: (c) 2015 American Association of Physicists in Medicine; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0094-2405
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
07 ISOTOPES AND RADIATION SOURCES; 60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES; BEAM PROFILES; COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION; IONIZATION CHAMBERS; MONTE CARLO METHOD

Citation Formats

Tanny, Sean, Sperling, Nicholas, Parsai, E. Ishmael, E-mail: e.parsai@utoledo.edu, and Holmes, Shannon. Technical Note: Influence of Compton currents on profile measurements in small-volume ion chambers. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1118/1.4929555.
Tanny, Sean, Sperling, Nicholas, Parsai, E. Ishmael, E-mail: e.parsai@utoledo.edu, & Holmes, Shannon. Technical Note: Influence of Compton currents on profile measurements in small-volume ion chambers. United States. https://doi.org/10.1118/1.4929555
Tanny, Sean, Sperling, Nicholas, Parsai, E. Ishmael, E-mail: e.parsai@utoledo.edu, and Holmes, Shannon. 2015. "Technical Note: Influence of Compton currents on profile measurements in small-volume ion chambers". United States. https://doi.org/10.1118/1.4929555.
@article{osti_22482339,
title = {Technical Note: Influence of Compton currents on profile measurements in small-volume ion chambers},
author = {Tanny, Sean and Sperling, Nicholas and Parsai, E. Ishmael, E-mail: e.parsai@utoledo.edu and Holmes, Shannon},
abstractNote = {Purpose: This work is to evaluate the effects of Compton current generation in three small-volume ionization chambers on measured beam characteristics for electron fields. Methods: Beam scans were performed using Exradin A16, A26, and PTW 31014 microchambers. Scans with varying chamber components shielded were performed. Static point measurements, output factors, and cable only irradiations were performed to determine the contribution of Compton currents to various components of the chamber. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to evaluate why one microchamber showed a significant reduction in Compton current generation. Results: Beam profiles demonstrated significant distortion for two of the three chambers when scanned parallel to the chamber axis, produced by electron deposition within the wire. Measurements of ionization produced within the cable identified Compton current generation as the cause of these distortions. The size of the central collecting wire was found to have the greatest influence on the magnitude of Compton current generation. Conclusions: Microchambers can demonstrate significant (>5%) deviations from properties as measured with larger volume chambers (0.125 cm{sup 3} and above). These deviations can be substantially reduced by averaging measurements conducted at opposite polarities.},
doi = {10.1118/1.4929555},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22482339}, journal = {Medical Physics},
issn = {0094-2405},
number = 10,
volume = 42,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Oct 15 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Thu Oct 15 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}