Thermal neutron detection and track recognition method in reference and out-of-field radiotherapy FLASH electron fields using Timepix3 detectors

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00177016%3A_____%2F23%3AN0000088" target="_blank" >RIV/00177016:_____/23:N0000088 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6560/acf2e1" target="_blank" >https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6560/acf2e1</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1361-6560/acf2e1" target="_blank" >10.1088/1361-6560/acf2e1</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Thermal neutron detection and track recognition method in reference and out-of-field radiotherapy FLASH electron fields using Timepix3 detectors

Original language description

The work presents a method for enhanced detection, imaging, and measurement of the thermal neutron flux. Approach. Measurements were performed in a water tank, while the detector is positioned out-of-field of a 20 MeV ultra-high pulse dose rate electron beam. A semiconductor pixel detector Timepix3 with a silicon sensor partially covered by a 6LiF neutron converter was used to measure the flux, spatial, and time characteristics of the neutron field. To provide absolute measurements of thermal neutron flux, the detection efficiency calibration of the detectors was performed in a reference thermal neutron field. Neutron signals are recognized and discriminated against other particles such as gamma rays and x-rays. This is achieved by the resolving power of the pixel detector using machine learning algorithms and high-resolution pattern recognition analysis of the high-energy tracks created by thermal neutron interactions in the converter. Main results. The resulting thermal neutrons equivalent dose was obtained using conversion factor (2.13(10) pSv·cm2) from thermal neutron fluence to thermal neutron equivalent dose obtained by Monte Carlo simulations. The calibrated detectors were used to characterize scattered radiation created by electron beams. The results at 12.0 cm depth in the beam axis inside of the water for a delivered dose per pulse of 1.85 Gy (pulse length of 2.4 μs) at the reference depth, showed a contribution of flux of 4.07(8) × 103 particles·cm−2·s−1 and equivalent dose of 1.73(3) nSv per pulse, which is lower by ∼9 orders of magnitude than the delivered dose. Significance. The presented methodology for in-water measurements and identification of characteristic thermal neutrons tracks serves for the selective quantification of equivalent dose made by thermal neutrons in out-of-field particle therapy.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_ost - Miscellaneous article in a specialist periodical

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

10304 - Nuclear physics

Project

<a href="/en/project/8B19001" target="_blank" >8B19001: Metrology for advanced radiotherapy using particle beams with ultra-high pulse dose rates</a><br>

Continuities

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)

Publication year

2023

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Physics in Medicine & Biology

ISSN

0031-9155

e-ISSN

1361-6560

Volume of the periodical

68

Issue of the periodical within the volume

18

Country of publishing house

GB - UNITED KINGDOM

Number of pages

17

Pages from-to

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UT code for WoS article

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EID of the result in the Scopus database

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