Abstract
Background. At the Center for Proton Therapy at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) the delivery of proton radiation is controlled via gas-based ionization chambers: the beam is turned off when a certain amount of preset charge has been collected. At low dose rates the charge collection efficiency in these detectors is unity, at ultra-high dose rates it is less due to induced charge recombination effects. If not corrected, the latter would lead to an overdosage. Purpose. In the scope of this work, we developed a novel approach to an in situ charge recombination correction for our dose defining detectors, when irradiated with a proton beam at ultra-high dose rates. This approach is based on the Two-Voltage-Method. Methods. We have translated this method to two separate devices operated simultaneously at different conditions. By doing so, the charge collection losses can be corrected directly and without the need for empirical correction values. This approach has been tested at ultra-high dose rates; proton beam was delivered by the COMET cyclotron to Gantry 1 at PSI. Results. We were able to correct the charge losses caused by recombination effects at local beam currents of approximately 700 nA (i.e. instantaneous dose rate of 3600 Gy s–1 at isocenter). The corrected collected charges in our gaseous detectors were compared against recombination-free measurements with a Faraday cup. The ratio of both quantities shows no significant dose rate dependence within their respective combined uncertainties. Conclusions. Correcting recombination effects in our gas-based detectors with the novel method greatly eases the handling of Gantry 1 as ‘FLASH test bench’. Not only is the application of a preset dose more accurate compared to using an empirical correction curve, also the re-determination of empirical correction curves in the case of a beam phase space change can be omitted.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.