Grid ionization chamber based on stainless steel woven wire mesh

Abstract

The grid electrode of the grid ionization chamber (GIC) is devoted to eliminating the dependence of the anode pulse amplitude on the initial position and orientation of the ionization. The traditional methods of grid production require cumbersome processes and advanced instruments. In this paper, a bonded stainless steel woven wire mesh (SSWWM) grid electrode manufacturing method is proposed. Compared with the traditional grid electrode, the SSWWM grid features the advantages of simple fabrication, low cost, and high mechanical strength. The energy resolutions of the 40-mesh, 60-mesh and 80-mesh SSWWM grids and orthogonal mesh grid realized by the traditional wire winding method were tested using an 241Am source (around 5.486 MeV). The results show that the optimum energy resolution of the SSWWM and orthogonal mesh grids is approximately 47 keV full width at half-maximum (FWHM). The optimal energy resolutions of the 40-mesh and 60-mesh SSWWM grids are comparable, but the initial operating voltages corresponding to the energy resolution plateau are different, mainly because of the effect of the different geometric parameters of the SSWWM grid on the electron transmittance. A simulation program was used to study the electron transmittance of the SSWWM grid. The simulation results are in agreement with the experimental results, indicating that the simulation program can be used as a reference for the selection of the geometric parameters of the SSWWM grid.