title: Chemically tuned linear energy transfer dependent quenching in a deformable, radiochromic 3D dosimeter.
abstract: Most solid-state detectors, including 3D dosimeters, show lower signal in the Bragg peak than expected, a process termed quenching. The purpose of this study was to investigate how variation in chemical composition of a recently developed radiochromic, silicone-based 3D dosimeter influences the observed quenching in proton beams. The dependency of dose response on linear energy transfer, as calculated through Monte Carlo simulations of the dosimeter, was investigated in 60 MeV proton beams. We found that the amount of quenching varied with the chemical composition: peak-to-plateau ratios (1 cm into the plateau) ranged from 2.2 to 3.4, compared to 4.3 using an ionization chamber. The dose response, and thereby the quenching, was predominantly influenced by the curing agent concentration, which determined the dosimeter's deformation properties. The dose response was found to be linear at all depths. All chemical compositions of the dosimeter showed dose-rate dependency; however this was not dependent on the linear energy transfer. Track-structure theory was used to explain the observed quenching effects. In conclusion, this study shows that the silicone-based dosimeter has potential for use in measuring 3D-dose-distributions from proton beams.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Ellen Marie
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Høye
authors.forename: Peter S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Skyt
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Balling
authors.forename: Ludvig P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Muren
authors.forename: Vicki T
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Taasti
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Swakoń
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mierzwińska
authors.forename: Marzena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rydygier
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bassler
authors.forename: Jørgen B B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Petersen
mesh_terms: D005373:Film Dosimetry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D018499:Linear Energy Transfer; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D011522:Protons; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D011522:Protons; D012825:Silicon