Polyethylene Naphthalate Scintillator: A Novel Detector for the Dosimetry of Radioactive Ophthalmic Applicators

Abstract

Background: Dosimetric measurements in small radiation fields with large gradients, such as eye plaque dosimetry with β or low-energy photon emitters, require dosimetrically almost water-equivalent detectors with volumes of <1 mm³ and linear responses over several orders of magnitude. Polyvinyltoluene-based scintillators fulfil these conditions. Hence, they are a standard for such applications. However, they show disadvantages with regard to certain material properties and their dosimetric behaviour towards low-energy photons. Purpose, Materials and Methods: Polyethylene naphthalate, recently recognized as a scintillator, offers chemical, physical and basic dosimetric properties superior to polyvinyltoluene. Its general applicability as a clinical dosimeter, however, has not been shown yet. To prove this applicability, extensive measurements at several clinical photon and electron radiation sources, ranging from ophthalmic plaques to a linear accelerator, were performed. Results: For all radiation qualities under investigation, covering a wide range of dose rates, a linearity of the detector response to the dose was shown. Conclusion: Polyethylene naphthalate proved to be a suitable detector material for the dosimetry of ophthalmic plaques, including low-energy photon emitters and other small radiation fields. Due to superior properties, it has the potential to replace polyvinyltoluene as the standard scintillator for such applications.

Search for heavy Majorana neutrinos in pp collisions at √s = 8 TeV with the CMS detector &amp; photodetector and calorimeter R&amp;D for particle colliders

“…PEN scintillators have been used in radiation dosimeters in nuclear experiments and medical physics [104] but neither PEN nor PET have been used in particle physics experiments.…”

Characterization of the Radiation-Induced Damage in a PEN (Polyethylene Naphthalate) Scintillation Detector

“…Because of these good properties, along with its ease of manufacture and low cost, PEN has drawn the attention of the scientific community. Its field of employment ranges from dosimetry purposes in irradiation facilities or nuclear medicine [5] to particle energy measurement in High Energy Physics (HEP) colliders and underground experiments [6,7]. However, many of these applications require the instrumentation to operate in very highradiation environments, raising the issue of the detector's radiation hardness to a high level of priority [8].…”

Development of Radiation Hard Scintillators

“…PEN scintillators were previously used in radioactive dosimeters in nuclear experiments and medical physics [2] but none of them have been used in particle physics experiments. We would like to introduce PEN and PET to high energy particle experiments.…”

“…PEN and PET emit blue light with peak emission wavelengths of 450 nm and 350 nm and they produce 10,500 and 2,200 photons per MeV, respectively [1]. PEN scintillators were previously used in radioactive dosimeters in nuclear experiments and medical physics [2] but none of them have been used in particle physics experiments. We would like to introduce PEN and PET to high energy particle experiments.…”