The determination of the electronic stopping power for low-energy ions is an experimentally demanding task. In this paper we elaborate on the different effects of nuclear stopping and multiple scattering on the energy spectra for different experimental geometries, i.e., transmission through thin foils and backscattering from thin films. By calculating distributions of path lengths and scattering angles we demonstrate how electronic stopping, nuclear stopping, and multiple scattering add up to the total energy loss. We show that at low energies it is important to properly disentangle these effects to extract electronic stopping from the measured energy loss spectra.

The aim of this work was to develop some X-ray qualities recommended by the International Standardization Organization (ISO) in its standard ISO 4037-1. X-ray qualities corresponding to narrow-spectrum series were established, determined their characteristics and found good agreement with those of reference X-ray beam qualities [difference between first half-value layer (HVL1) < 5% for all qualities]. Acceptable results have also been obtained for second half-value layer (HVL2). The production of X-ray spectra corresponding to developed X-ray qualities with Monte Carlo code PENELOPE (PENetration and Energy Loss Of Positrons and Electrons) was simulated. The characteristics [HVL1, HVL2, homogeneity coefficient (HC) and mean energy (Emean)] of simulated spectra have been calculated and compared to those of measured spectra at Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt taken as reference spectra. The obtained results showed a good agreement between simulated and measured spectra (differences in HVL1, HVL2, HC and Emean were 1.7, 1.44, 0.44 and 1.3%, respectively). The comparison between simulated and measured spectra by calculating the conversion coefficients from air kerma to the personal dose equivalent, hpk(10), and to the ambient dose equivalent, hk*(10), was supplemented. The comparison between the calculated quantities (hpk(10) and hk*(10)) for the two X-ray spectra series showed a good agreement (the maximum difference was <0.4% for hpk(10) and <0.3% for hk*(10)). Furthermore, the percentage depth dose produced in water by simulated and measured spectra was investigated and a good agreement was found between the obtained curves. The established X-ray qualities have been fully characterised (measurement and Monte Carlo simulation). These X-ray beams can be used for calibration of radiation protection instruments and for reference irradiations.

Abstract:The aim of this work is to study the energy dependence of thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD-700) for low energy X-ray beams encountered in conventional diagnostic radiology. In the rst step, we studied some characteristics (reproducibility and linearity) of TLD-700 chips using a Cs source, and selected TLD chips with reproducibility better than 2.5%. Then we determined TLD-700 energy response for diagnostic radiology X-ray qualities, and investigated its in uence on air kerma estimate. A maximum deviation of 60% can be obtained if TLDs are calibrated for Cs radiation source and used in diagnostic radiology elds. However, this deviation became less than 20% if TLDs chips are calibrated for the reference x-ray radiation quality RQR5 (recommended by the IEC 61267 standard). Consequently, we recommend calibrating this kind of TLD detector with RQR5 diagnostic radiology X-ray quality. This method permits to obtain a good accuracy when assessing the entrance dose in diagnostic radiology procedures.

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