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A correction method for diamond detector signal dependence with proton energy
Author(s) -
Fidanzio A.,
Azario L.,
De Angelis C.,
Pacilio M.,
Onori S.,
Kacperek A.,
Piermattei A.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
medical physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.473
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 2473-4209
pISSN - 0094-2405
DOI - 10.1118/1.1469634
Subject(s) - detector , dosimeter , proton , diamond , signal (programming language) , calibration , ionization chamber , beam (structure) , optics , materials science , physics , dosimetry , reproducibility , radiation , ionization , nuclear physics , nuclear medicine , computer science , mathematics , statistics , medicine , ion , quantum mechanics , composite material , programming language
Small dosimeters as solid state detectors can be useful for the dosimetric characterization and periodic quality control of radiotherapy proton beams. The calibration of solid state detectors for proton beams is not a solved problem especially for ophthalmologic proton beams, where these detectors present a LET‐dependent signal. In this work a PTW diamond detector has been selected because of its good signal reproducibility (0.3%) and stable response with accumulated dose. A method that takes into account the LET dependence of the diamond detector signal, at 62 MeV proton beam, is here proposed. In particular an empirical correction factor, k Eo DD( R res) , has been determined as a function of the residual range quality index, to correct the diamond detector signal for a proton beam of incident effective energy E 0= 62 MeV . A dedicated software allows us to use the diamond detector as an on‐line reference dosimeter, where an ionization chamber may be difficult to use, or for periodic quality control procedures. The article also reports a comparison between the signal dependence on proton energy of silicon, diamond, and radiochromic film detectors.