title: Use of radiochromic film as a high-spatial resolution dosimeter by Raman spectroscopy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Due to increasing demand for high-spatial resolution dosimetry, radiochromic films have been investigated as potential candidates but are often limited by the scanning system, e.g., flatbed optical scanner. In this study, Raman spectroscopy in conjunction with a microscope was selected as an alternative method for high-spatial resolution dosimetry of radiochromic film.
  
  
  METHODS
  Unlaminated Gafchromic™ EBT3 films were irradiated with doses between 0 and 50 Gy using 6 MV x-rays of a clinical linear accelerator. Depth profiling from the surface of unlaminated film was performed to acquire the maximum Raman intensity peaks of C≡C and C=C stretching bands of diacetylene polymer. The Raman mapping technique for a region of interest (200 × 200, 30 × 30 μm(2)) was developed to reduce a large variation in a Raman spectrum produced with a sampling resolution of a few μm. The preprocessing of Raman spectra was carried out to determine a dosimetric relationship with the amount of diacetylene polymerization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Due to partial diacetylene polymerization upon irradiation, two Raman peaks of C=C and C≡C stretching bands were observed around 1447 and 2060 cm(-1), respectively. The maximum intensities of the two peaks were obtained by positioning a focused laser spot on the surface of unlaminated film. For the dose range of 0-50 Gy, the band heights of both C≡C and C=C peaks increase asymptotically with increasing doses and can be fit with an exponential function of two components. The relative standard deviation in Raman mapping was found to be less than ±5%. By using this technique, dose uniformity was found to be within ±2%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Raman intensity for C=C and C≡C peaks increases with an increase in the amount of diacetylene polymerization due to an increase in dose. This study shows the potential of Raman spectroscopy as an alternative for absolute dosimetry verifications with a high-spatial resolution of a few μm, but these findings need to be further validated for the purpose of microdosimetry.
authors.affiliation: Program in Biomedical Radiation Sciences, Department of Transdisciplinary Studies, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jamal Ahmad
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mirza
authors.affiliation: Program in Biomedical Radiation Sciences, Department of Transdisciplinary Studies, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeonsuk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Program in Radiation Applied Life Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, South Korea.
authors.forename: So-Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Program in Biomedical Radiation Sciences, Department of Transdisciplinary Studies, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea; Interdisciplinary Program in Radiation Applied Life Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, South Korea; and Center for Convergence Research on Robotics, Advance Institutes of Convergence Technology, Seoul National University, Suwon 16229, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Joon
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ye
mesh_terms: D000480:Alkynes; D002138:Calibration; D002244:Carbon; D005373:Film Dosimetry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D010315:Particle Accelerators; D058105:Polymerization; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D014867:Water; D014965:X-Rays
chemical_list: D000480:Alkynes; D014867:Water; D002244:Carbon