A Monte Carlo simulation of the microdosimetric response for thick gas electron multiplier

Abstract

The neutron microdosimetric responses of the thick gas electron multiplier (THGEM) detector were simulated. The THGEM is a promising device for microdosimetry, particularly for measuring the dose spectra of intense radiation fields and for collecting two-dimensional microdosimetric distributions. To investigate the response of the prototype THGEM microdosimetric detector, a simulation was developed using the Geant4 Monte Carlo code. The simulation calculates the deposited energy in the detector sensitive volume for an incident neutron beam. Both neutron energy and angular responses were computed for various neutron beam conditions. The energy response was compared with the reported experimental microdosimetric spectra as well as the evaluated fluence-to-kerma conversion coefficients. The effects of using non-tissue equivalent materials were also investigated by comparing the THGEM detector response with the response of an ideal detector in identical neutron field conditions. The result of the angular response simulations revealed severe angular dependencies for neutron energies above 100keV. The simulation of a modified detector design gave an angular response pattern close to the ideal case, showing a fluctuation of less than 10% over the entire angular range.