title: First microdosimetric measurements with a TEPC based on a GEM.
abstract: A new type of mini multi-element tissue-equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) based on a gas electron multiplier (GEM) has been designed and constructed. This counter is in particular suitable to be constructed with a small sensitive volume so that it can be used for microdosimetry in intense pulsed radiation fields to measure the microdosimetric spectrum in the beam of, for instance, a clinical linear accelerator. The concept lends itself also for a mini multi-element version of the counter to be used for applications in which a high sensitivity is required. In this paper, we present the first microdosimetric measurements of this novel counter exposed to a 14 MeV monoenergetic neutron beam and a californium (252Cf) source for a counter cavity diameter of 1.8 mm simulating 1.0 microm tissue site size. The measured spectra showed an excellent agreement with spectra from the literature. The specific advantages of the TEPC-GEM are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Delft University of Technology, IRI, 2629 JB Delft, The Netherlands. M.Farahmand@IRI.TUDELFT.NL
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farahmand
authors.forename: A J J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bos
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Nardo
authors.forename: C W E
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: van Eijk
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001822:Body Burden; D003198:Computer Simulation; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D004867:Equipment Design / Q000379:methods; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D018499:Linear Energy Transfer; D009502:Neutrons; D011786:Quality Control; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D012062:Relative Biological Effectiveness; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D012588:Scintillation Counting / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity