Monte Carlo simulation of the response of ESR dosimeters added with gadolinium exposed to thermal, epithermal and fast neutrons.
- Authors: Marrale, M; Basile, S; Brai, M; Longo, A
- Publication year: 2009
- Type: Articolo in rivista (Articolo in rivista)
- OA Link: http://hdl.handle.net/10447/36012
Abstract
MonteCarlonumericalcalculationsoftheresponseofalanineandammoniumtartrateESR(electron spin resonance)dosimetersexposedtoneutronfieldswithdifferentenergyspectraarereported.Results havebeenobtainedforvariousgadoliniumconcentrationsinsidethedosimeters.Furthermore,inorder to simulatethein-phantomresponsewehavecarriedoutcalculationsbyvaryingthedepthofthe dosimeter.Wehavefoundthatalargeenhancementisobtainedforthermalneutrons,becauseofthe very highcapturecrosssectionofgadoliniumtothermalneutrons.Agoodenhancementwasobtained for epithermalneutrons,whereasthesensitivityimprovementinthecaseoffastneutronirradiationis poor.Furthermore,thesimulationscarriedoutbyvaryingthedepthsuggeststhatanappreciable sensitivitytothermalandepithermalneutronscouldbeobservedforin-phantommeasurementsinthe 2–3cmdepthrange.Theseresultscanprovideusefulinsightforfutureexperimentswithepithermal neutronbeams(suchasthoseusedinneutroncapturetherapy)andforfutureapplicationsinneutron capturetherapydosimetry.