Search for a new material for a medical Cherenkov radiation detector

Abstract

In this work, using Geant4, we simulate a time-of-flight positron emission tomography detector based on Cherenkov radiation. We consider various materials as a basis for the detector, including a pure PMMA and PMMA used as a matrix containing small resonant particles of copper and gold. For that, in CST studio, we determine the dielectric permittivity for a composite material, which we then use for simulations in Geant4. The resonant nature of the small metal particles allows producing Cherenkov photons by secondary electrons with lower energy, increasing the output of the radiated photons. We consider it as the way to increase temporal resolution as well as efficiency of the detector.