Overview of physical interaction models for photon and electron transport used in Monte Carlo codes

Abstract

The physical principles and approximations employed in Monte Carlo simulations of coupled electron–photon transport are reviewed. After a brief analysis of the assumptions underlying the trajectory picture used to generate random particle histories, we concentrate on the physics of the various interaction processes of photons and electrons. For each of these processes we describe the theoretical models and approximations that lead to the differential cross sections employed in general-purpose Monte Carlo codes. References to relevant publications and data resources are also provided.

Accurate Kap Meter Calibration as a Prerequisite for Optimisation in Projection Radiography

“…The Monte Carlo code PENELOPE (9) was used to simulate energy imparted to the air cavities of the Vacutec model 70157 reference KAP meter for mono-energetic photons emitted from a point source (for details of the model see Malusek et al (7) ). In the second step, energy imparted to the sensitive volumes was calculated by analytical integration over an energy spectrum of photons, where contributions from individual photon energies were weighted by the number of photons in corresponding energy channels of the spectrum.…”

Comparison of experimental proton-induced fluorescence spectra for a selection of thin high-Z samples with Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations

“…This library contains calculated data for isolated neutral atoms. It is known that the simplifications used in this library for the calculation of transition probabilities and transition energies can lead to visible inconsistencies, as explained in the interesting review by Salvat and Fernandez-Varea [29]. As suggested by the authors, this issue can be easily solved by correcting X-ray energies using updated compilations, such as the database of Bearden [30], containing a comprehensive review and reevaluation of more than 2700 emission and absorption wavelengths based on experiments.…”

Monte Carlo simulation of X-ray spectra from low energy electrons using optical data

“…For a detailed overview of the available interaction models for photon and electron transport in Monte Carlo simulations we refer to [3]. We now briefly describe the (differential) cross sections and mean free paths which we have used in this work.…”