Inorganic scintillating mixture and a sensor assembly for charged particle dosimetry

• US 8,080,801 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2010
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paul Scherrer-Institut (Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft)
• Original Assignee: Paul Scherrer-Institut (Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft)
• Inventors: Safai, Sairos
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sung, Christine
• Application Number:
  US12/727,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20100213390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 250/368
• US Class Current: 250/368
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/023 Scintillation dose-rate meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/202 the detector being a crystal
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/2023 Selection of materials see provisionally also G01T1/202

Abstract

An inorganic scintillating mixture includes at least a first and a second component, each having a characteristic behavior in response to the irradiation with charged particles, such as protons and heavy ions, showing a typical Bragg peak with respect to a relative depth dose. The first component has a quenching characteristic in the Bragg peak region and the second component shows an increased efficiency in the Bragg peak region both related to a reference curve for the relative dose.

Claims

1. A sensor head including:

a proton beam detecting sensor head for measuring a penetration depth of a proton beam in tissue;

the sensor head including an inorganic scintillating mixture comprising at least a first and a second component each having a characteristic behavior in response to an irradiation with protons, showing a typical Bragg peak with respect to a relative depth dose;

said first component having a quenching characteristic in a Bragg peak region and said second component showing an increased efficiency in the Bragg peak region, both being related to a reference curve for a relative dose.

2. The sensor head according to claim 1, comprising as the first component Gadolinium-Oxy-Sulfide Gd₂O₂S:

Tb and as the second component Zinc-Cadmium-Sulfide (Zn,Cd)S;

Ag.

3. The sensor head according to claim 2, wherein a content of Gd₂O₂S:

Tb is in a range of 60 to 90% wt and a content of (Zn,Cd)S;

Ag is in a range of 10 to 40% wt.

4. The sensor head according to claim 3, wherein the content of Gd₂O₂S:

Tb is in the range of 75 to 85% wt and the content of (Zn,Cd)S;

Ag is in the range of 15 to 25% wt.

5. A sensor head including:

a proton beam detecting sensor head for measuring a penetration depth of a proton beam in tissue;

the sensor head including an inorganic scintillating mixture comprising at least a first, and a second component;

the first and the second components having a characteristic behavior in response to an irradiation with protons showing a typical Bragg peak with respect to a relative depth dose;

the first component having a quenching characteristic in a Bragg peak region and the second component showing an increased efficiency in the Bragg peak region in comparison to a reference curve for a relative dose; and

the first and the second components being held together.

6. The sensor head according to claim 5, comprising as the first component Gadolinium-Oxy-Sulfide (Gd₂O₂S:

Tb), as the second component Zinc-Cadmium-Sulfide (Zn,Cd)S;

Ag, and further comprising an optical cement having a binder characteristic holding the first and the second component in a desired mechanical shape.

7. The sensor head according to claim 6, wherein a content of the optical cement is in a range of 20 to 60% wt, a content of Gd₂O₂S:

Tb is in a range of 30 to 60% wt and a content of (Zn,Cd)S;

Ag is in a range of 05 to 30% wt.

8. The sensor head according to claim 7, wherein the content of the optical cement is in the range of 35 to 45% wt, the content of Gd₂O₂S:

Tb is in the range of 43 to 53% wt and the content of (Zn,Cd)S;

Ag is in the range of 07 to 17% wt.

9. The sensor head according to claim 7, wherein the content of the optical cement is about 40% wt, the content of Gd₂O₂S:

Tb is about 48% wt and the content of (Zn,Cd)S;

Ag is about 12% wt.