The Use of Accelerator Beams for Calibration and Characterization of Solid State Nuclear
Track Detectors
Eric Benton
Department of Physics
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078 USA
Uses of Accelerators for SSNTD Research
• Calibration/Determination of NTD sensitivity
• Space Radiation Photoreaction and Dosimetry (calibration, intercomparison of detectors from different labs, assessment of shielding materials)
• Cosmic Ray (Astrophysics) Research
• Nuclear and Particle Physics
• Neutron Dosimetry
• Air Crew Dosimetry
• etc.
Accelerators useful for SSNTD Research
Accelerator must produce particles that will result in tracks in CR-39 PNTD
• Tracks formed by primary particles (LETkeV/m)– 12 MeV Protons – 200 MeV -particles– ions of Z6 of all energies
• Tracks formed by secondaries produced in nuclear interactions between primaries and heavy target nuclei
– high energy protons– neutrons
• Range of particle in NTD must be sufficient to leave visible track after etching...low energy limitation.
Useful to (arbitrarily) group Accelerators by Beam Energy
Primary Particles form Tracks
• Very High Energy Heavy Ion Accelerators
• High Energy Heavy Ion Accelerators
• Medium Energy Heavy Ion Accelerators
• Low Energy Heavy Ion/Proton Accelerators
Secondary Particles Produce Tracks
• Medium to High Energy Proton Accelerators
• Spallation Neutron Sources
Very High Energy Heavy Ion Accelerator Facilities
Accelerator Institution Location Zproj Eproj (GeV/nuc)
Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC)
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL)
New York, USA 1 79
250 100
Proton Synchroton (PS) CERN Geneva, Switzerland
1-82 26
Super Proton Synchroton (SPS) CERN Geneva, Switzerland
1-82 ~200
• These facilities can accelerate heavy ions (Z>1) for use in SSNTD studies, but rarely do.
• Difficult to get beam time for SSNTD experiments on these accelerators.
High Energy Heavy Ion Accelerator Facilities
• Exemplified by the BEVALAC at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (closed in 1992)
• Probably the most useful for SSNTD work
• Particles: 1 Z 92
• Energies: 100s MeV to 1-2 GeV
• LETto keV/m
• Current (SSNTD Friendly) Facilities include:
• NIRS HIMAC in Chiba, Japan
• GSI SIS in Darmstadt, Germany
• JINR Phasotron/Nuclotron in Dubna, Russia
High Energy Heavy Ion Accelerator FacilitiesAccelerator Institution Location Zproj Eproj
(MeV/nuc) Alternating Gradient Synchroton (AGS)
Brookhaven National Laboratory
New York, USA 1-79 600-30,000
Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC)
National Institute of Radiological Sciences
Chiba, Japan 1-54 100-800
Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou (HIRFL)
Institute of Modern Physics Lanzhou, China 6-92 400-900
Heidelberger Ionenstrahl-Therapie (HIT)
Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg
Heidelberg, Germany
1 6
220 430
Hyogo Ion Beam Medical Center
Hyogo Ion Beam Medical Center
Hyogo, Japan 1,2 6
70-230 70-320
NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL)
Brookhaven National Laboratory
New York, USA 1-79 100-1000
Nuclotron Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR)
Dubna, Russia 1-26 6000
Phasotron Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR)
Dubna, Russia 1-16 2-16
9000
SIS-18 Gessellschaft für Schwerionenforschung (GSI)
Darmstadt, Germany
1-92 50-2000
CNAO National Centre of Oncological Hadrontherapy
Pavia, Italy 1 6
430
ETOILE National Hadrontherapy Centre
Lyon, France 1 6
50-400
MedAustron MedAustron Wiener Neustadt, Austria
1 6
400
Medium Energy Heavy Ion Accelerator Facilities
• Useful for SSNTD work
• Particles: 1 Z 92
• Energies: 10’s MeV to 100 MeV
• LETto keV/m
• Lower Energy Shorter Range Changing LET
• Current Facilities include:
• GANIL in Caens, France
• NSCL at Michigan State University, USA
Medium Energy Heavy Ion Accelerator Facilities*
Accelerator Institution Location Zproj Eproj (MeV/nuc)
88” Cyclotron Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL)
Berkeley, CA USA 1-8 55
Aarhus STorage RIng in Denmark (ASTRID)
Institute for Storage Ring Facilities, U. of Aarhus
Aarhus, Denmark 1-54 <165
Accelerateur Groningen-Orsay (AGOR)
Kernfysisch Versneller Instituut
Groningen, Netherlands
1-82 8-90
Crocker Nuclear Laboratory Cyclotron
University of California at Davis
Davis, CA USA 1-2 70
Grand Accelerateur National D’Ions Lourds (GANIL)
GANIL Caen, France 6-92 25-95
iThemba Cyclotron iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator-Based Sciences
Somerset West, South Africa
1-54 10-200
TAMU Cyclotron Texas A&M University (TAMU)
College Station, TX USA
1-92 70
National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL)
Michigan State University East Lansing, MI USA
1-92 90
Ring Cyclotron Institute for Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN)
Wako Saitmama, Japan
1-28 ~210
Superconducting Cyclotron INFN - Laboratori Nazionali del Sud (LNS)
Catania, Italy 1-92 8-100
The Svedberg Laboratory (TSL) Cyclotron
Uppsala Universitet Uppsala, Sweden 1-54 25-180
TIARA AVF Cyclotron Takasaki Advanced Radiation Research Institute
Takasaki, Japan 1-79 5-90
*not exhaustive list
Low Energy Heavy Ion Accelerator Facilities
• Limited usefulness in SSNTD work
• Particles: 1 Z 92
• Energies: 1 to 10 MeV
• LETkeV/m
• Low Energy Very Short Range Changing LET
• Low Energy Very Short Range over etch tracks
• Current Facilities include:
• GSI Unilac in Darmstadt, Germany
• BNL Tandem Van de Graaff in New York, USA
Low Energy Heavy Ion Accelerator Facilities*
Accelerator Institution Location Zproj Eproj (MeV/nuc)
Argonne Tandem Linac Accelerator System (ATLAS)
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)
Argonne, IL USA 3-92 <~8
Bonn Isochronus Cyclotron Helmholtz - Institut für Strahlen- und Kernphysik
Bonn, Germany 1-8 6
CYCLONE110 (CYClotron de LOuvain-la-NEuve)
Centre de Recherche du Cyclotron, Université catholique de Louvain
Louvain, Belgium 1 2-18
15
HIMAC Linac National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS)
Chiba, Japan 2-54 8-16
K130 Cyclotron University of Jyväskylä Jyväskylä, Finland 1-36 5-38 2.5-12.5
Le Cyclotron Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches par Irradiation
Orléans, France 1 2
80 27.5
Tandem Van de Graaff Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL)
New York, USA 1-79 7-14
TANDEM-ALPI INFN - Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro (LNL)
Legnaro, Italy 6-40 <90
Unilac Gessellschaft für Schwerionenforschung (GSI)
Darmstadt, Germany
1-92 6-12
*not exhaustive list
Some Fine Print
While accelerator might be capable of accelerating protons through U, often restricted to “menu” of beams.
Advertised Beams Available at NIRS HIMACAvailable
Ions Energy (MeV/nuc) Intensity
(particles/spill) He 100, 180, 230 <1.2 1010
C 100, 180, 230, 290, 350, 400, 430
<1.8 109
N 100, 180, 230, 290, 350, 400, 430
<1.5 109
O 100, 180, 230, 290, 350, 400, 430
<1.1 109
Ne 100, 180, 230, 290, 350, 400, 600
<7.8 108
Si 100, 180, 230, 290, 350, 400, 600, 800
<4.0 108
Ar 290, 400, 650 <2.4 108 Fe 400, 500 <2.2 108
LET Calibration of CR-39 PNTD at NIRS HIMAC
350 MeV/n 84Kr424.5 keV/m
422 MeV/n 56Fe202 keV/m
450 MeV/n 40Ar93.7 keV/m
438 MeV/n 28Si57.4 keV/m
370 MeV/n 20Ne31.8 keV/m
270 MeV/n 12C13.6 keV/m
Bragg Curves measured by HIMAC inline Ion Chamber/Binary Filter
0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0Range in H2O (cm)
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1.0
Nor
mal
ized
Dos
e R
atio
(IC
b/IC
f)
270 MeV/n 12C370 MeV/n 20Ne438 MeV/n 28Si450 MeV/n 40Ar422 MeV/n 56Fe350 MeV/n 84Kr
Measured Track Distribution in NIRS HIMAC Multi-ion Detector
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5Reduced Etch Rate Ratio (VR - 1)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120 370 MeV/n 20Ne
43
8 M
eV
/n 2
8S
i
450 MeV/n 40Ar422 MeV/n 56Fe
350 MeV/n 84Kr
27
0 M
eV
/n 1
2C
Typical Response Function for CR-39 PNTD*
10-3 10-2 10-1 100 101
Reduced Etch Rate Ratio (VR - 1)
100
101
102
103
LET
200C
R-3
9 (k
eV/
m)
where y = Log(LET) and x = Log(VR - 1)
10.6 GeV/n 197Au135 MeV/n 131Xe
350 MeV/n 84Kr
7.2 MeV p
388 MeV/n 12C277 MeV/n 12C
371.4 MeV/n 20Ne
437.2 MeV/n 28Si
1 GeV/n 56Fe600 MeV/n 56Fe
420.6 MeV/n 56Fe72.1 MeV/n 28Si
600 MeV/n 28Si447 MeV/n 28Si
5 GeV/n 56Fe
450 MeV/n 40Ar
y = 2.11 + 1.063x + 0.0845x2 - 0.1439x3 - 0.04289x4
*Batch 24 USF-4 from American Technical Plastics, Inc.
Converting LET200CR-39 to LETH20
100 101 102 103
Energy (MeV/amu)
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
LET
H
2O
/LE
T2
00C
R-3
9
1H4He12C16O20Ne24Mg28Si40Ar56Fe84Kr131Xe
Ratio of LETH20 to LET200CR-39 as a function of energy for several Z from 1 to 54
Obviously Ratio is not a constant (or unique).
Converting LET200CR-39 to LETH20
2 200Log( ) 0.1689 0.984 Log( 39)LET H O LET CR
10-1 100 101 102 103 104
LET200CR-39 (keV/m)
10-1
100
101
102
103
104
LET
H
2O
(ke
V/
m)
1H4He12C16O20Ne24Mg28Si40Ar56Fe84Kr131Xe
ICCHIBAN Project(InterComparison of Cosmic-rays with Heavy Ion
Beams At NIRS)
Objectives of the ICCHIBAN Project
• Determine the response of space radiation dosimeters to heavy ions of charge and energy similar to that found in the galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) spectrum.
• Compare response and sensitivity of various space radiation monitoring instruments. Aid in reconciling differences in measurements made by various radiation instruments during space flight.
• Establish and characterize a heavy ion “reference standard” against which space radiation instruments can be calibrated.
ICCHIBAN-4: Passive Dosimeter Exposures
ICCHIBAN-4: 19-30 May 2003Blind Exposures60Co
g-rays
137Cs
g-rays
4He 12C 20Ne 56Fe
1. 60Co g-rays 25 mGy
2. 137Cs g-rays 25 mGy
3. Helium 25 mGy
4. Space Simulation 10 mGy 1 mGy 1000 cm-2 1000 cm-2 1000 cm-2
5. Equal Dose 2 mGy 2 mGy 2 mGy 2 mGy 2 mGy
6. CR-39 Equal Fluence 1000 cm-2 1000 cm-2 1000 cm-2
7. 5 g/cm2 Al 1 mGy
8. Carbon 25 mGy
ICCHIBAN-4: Blind No. 4 CR-39 PNTD
AT
I
ER
I
INP
JAX
A
NP
I
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
2.0
Dos
e (m
Gy)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Dos
e E
quiv
alen
t (m
Sv)
Delivered Dose: 0.39mGy, Delivered Dose Eq.: 7.20mSv
ICCHIBAN-4: Blind No. 4 Combined TLD/OSLD + CR-39 PNTD
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Dos
e (m
Gy)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Dos
e E
quiv
alen
t (m
Sv)
ATI ERI ERI + KFKI JAXA
Delivered Dose: 12.15 mGy, Delivered Dose Eq.: 19.32 mSv
Proton and Carbon Beam Radiotherapy Accelerators
• ~30 Proton Cancer Treatment Centers operating worldwide
• ~10 more Proton Centers to become operation over next five years
• 4-5 Carbon Cancer Treatment Accelerators operating worldwide
• 2-3 Carbon Cancer Treatment Accelerators over next five years
Neutrons and High Energy ProtonsCR-39 PNTD exposed to 230 MeV Protons (LETkeV/m at the Loma Linda University Medical Center Proton Therapy Facility
All tracks are result of proton- and neutron-induced target fragment secondaries.
Measurement of Secondary Neutrons from Loma Linda Proton Beam using CR-39 PNTD
Integral LET Fluence Spectrum measured in CR-39 PNTD in TE Phantom outside the Loma
Linda Treatment Field
100 101 102 103
LETH2O (keV/m)
10-2
10-1
100
101
102
103
104
105P
artic
les(
> L
ET
H
2O)/
(cm
2 Gy p
)
On Axis, 38.9 cm deep46.5 cm from beam, front edge26.5 cm from beam, 28.5 cm deep46.5 cm from beam, 28.5 cm deep
Comparison of MCNPX and CR-39 PNTD Results for Secondary Neutrons from Loma
Linda Proton Beam Off-Axis Distance (cm) Depth
(cm H2O) 0 11.5 26.5 46.5 100.0 0 8.0110-1
— 1.3310-2 2.6810-3
2.2610-3 3.8510-4
7.7310-4 3.1010-4
1.5110-4 1.1210-4
15.0 8.1610-1 —
1.8010-2 2.7010-3
7.8310-4 1.0110-4
2.0110-4 1.8310-4
4.6110-5 9.3710-6
28.9 1.0010-0 —
2.0410-2 6.9210-3
5.6010-4 7.6510-5
1.5310-4 6.8210-5
2.0210-5 9.6910-6
38.9 2.9610-3 1.0810-3
1.7010-3 2.8310-3
4.8810-4 4.0410-5
1.3110-4 4.0710-5
1.5710-5
1.0310-6
(all values Gy/Gyprotons)top value - MCNPX total physical dose relative to prescribed dosebottom value - CR-39 physical dose (LETH2O 5 keV/m) relative to
prescribed dose
Concluding Remarks• SSNTDs and Accelerators make up a “two-way street”
• Accelerators are useful in calibrating and investigating SSNTDs
• SSNTDs useful in characterizing Accelerator beams
• Together, both can be used for other science (e.g. nuclear physics measurements, ICCHIBAN)
• High Energy Heavy Ion Accelerators are often the most useful:
• Limited number of facilities
• New opportunities due to growth of Carbon Radiotherapy
• Beam time (often at no cost) is available through a proposal submission/review process.
Acknowledgements
• Nakahiro Yasuda, Yukio Uchihori, and Hisashi Kitamura of the National Institute for Radiological Sciences, Chiba, Japan
• Jack Miller of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
• Dieter Schardt of Gessellschaft für Schwerionenforschung (GSI)
• Michael Moyers of Loma Linda University Medical Center
High Energy Spallation Neutron Facilities Facility Institution Location Max. Neutron
Energy CERN EU Reference Field (CERF)
CERN Geneva, Switzerland
200 GeV
ISIS Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Oxford, UK 800 MeV Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE)
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)
Los Alamos, NM USA
800 MeV
Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF)
Japan Proton Acclerator Research Complex (J-PARC)
Tokai, Japan 3 GeV
Spallation Neutron Source (SNS)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Oak Ridge, TN USA
1 GeV
Swiss Spallation Neutron Source (SINQ)
Paul Scherrer Institute Villigen, Switzerland
570 MeV