학술논문

Characterization with X-rays of a Large-Area GEMPix Detector with Optical Readout for QA in Hadron Therapy
Document Type
article
Source
Applied Sciences, Vol 11, Iss 14, p 6459 (2021)
Subject
hadron therapy
particle detectors
dosimetry
quality assurance
GEM
optical readout
Technology
Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
TA1-2040
Biology (General)
QH301-705.5
Physics
QC1-999
Chemistry
QD1-999
Language
English
ISSN
2076-3417
Abstract
Quality Assurance (QA) in hadron therapy is crucial to ensure safe and accurate dose delivery to patients. This can be achieved with fast, reliable and high-resolution detectors. In this paper, we present a novel solution that combines a triple Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) and a highly pixelated readout based on a matrix of organic photodiodes fabricated on top of an oxide-based thin-film transistor backplane. The first LaGEMPix prototype with an active area of 60 × 80 mm2 was developed and characterized using low energy X-rays. The detector comprises a drift gap of 3.5 mm, a triple-GEM stack for electron amplification, and a readout featuring 480 × 640 pixels at a 126 µm pitch. Here, we describe the measurements and results in terms of spatial resolution for various experimental configurations. A comparison with GAFCHROMIC® films and the GEMPix detector used in the charge readout mode was performed to better understand the contribution to the spatial resolution from both the electron diffusion and the isotropic emission of photons. The measurements were compared to Monte Carlo simulations, using the FLUKA code. The simulation predictions are in good agreement with the GEMPix results. Future plans with respect to applications in hadron therapy are discussed.