Spectral analysis of integrated F-center feedback dosimeter

Abstract

Proton therapy has yet to implement an in-vivo, real-time, fault-tolerant integral dosimeter. Proposed in this thesis is a conceptual dosimeter to meet such requirements, relying on the radiation-stimulated production of F-centers in alkali halide salts. F-centers are optically active vacancies in the cation-anion lattice filled with a lone electron. These vacancies cause dimming bands in broad-band illumination of the crystal, and the vacancies increase in number in a proportional fashion to the dose received. The experiment proposed here will serve both to measure the dimming quality of various alkali halide salts as well as their decay rate in the dark at room temperature. Once performed, this experiment will demonstrate the feasibility of correlating dose to a real-time color measurement of an implanted alkali halide crystal in a patient undergoing proton radiotherapy. Thus far no such experiments have been performed, however the experimental assembly outlined herein is nearly fully constructed and nearly ready for experimentation upon time of completing this thesis.