PRELIMINARY STUDY OF DIFFUSION EFFECTS IN FRICKE GEL DOSIMETERS

ANDRES QUIROGA; JOSE VEDELAGO; MAURO VALENTE

Cusco

Congreso; 14th INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM OF SOLID STATE DOSIMETRY; 2014

Soc. Peruana de Proteccion Radiologica

P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; direction: ltr; widows: 2; orphans: 2; }A:link { color: rgb(0, 0, 255); } Diffusion of ferric ions in ferrous sulfate (Fricke) gels represents one of the main drawbacks of some radiation detectors, like Fricke gel dosimeters. In practice, this disadvantage can be overcome by prompt dosimeter analysis, constraining strongly the time between irradiation and analysis. Due to required integral accuracy levels, special dedicated protocols are implemented with the aim of minimizing signal blurring due to diffusion effects. This work presents dedicated analytic modelling and numerical calculations of diffusion coefficients in Fricke gel radiation sensitive material. Samples are optically analysed by means of visible light transmission measurements capturing images with a CCD camera provided with a monochromatic 585 nm filter corresponding to the XO-infused Fricke solution absorbance peak. Dose distributions in Fricke gels are suitably delivered in order to assess specific initial conditions further studied by periodical sample image acquisitions. In a first analytic approach, experimental data are fit with linear models in order to achieve a value for the diffusion coefficient. The second approach to the problem consists on a group of computational algorithms based on inverse problem formulation, along with suitable 2D diffusion model capable of estimating diffusion coefficients by fitting the obtained algorithm numerical solutions with the corresponding experimental data. Comparisons are performed by introducing an appropriate functional in order to analyse both experimental and numerical values. Solutions to second order diffusion equation are calculated in the framework of a dedicated method that incorporates Finite Element Method. Moreover, optimised solutions can be attained by gradient type minimisation algorithms. Knowledge about diffusion coefficient for Fricke gel radiation detector might be helpful in accounting for effects regarding elapsed time between dosimeter irradiation and further analysis. Hence, corrections might be included in standard dependence of optical density differences and actual, non-diffused, absorbed dose distributions. The obtained values for ferric ion diffusion coefficient, in mm2 h-1, were (1.24 ± 0.07) and (1.15 ± 0.05) for the 1D and 2D method, respectively, in the first approach method and (0.65 ± 0.01), (0.68 ± 0.02) and (0.65 ± 0.02) in the second approach method. The results show good agreement with previous works corresponding to similar Fricke gel dosimeter compositions. Thus, more accurate 2D and 3D dose mapping might be attained that constitutes valuable improvements in Fricke gel dosimetry, and parallel a high precision methods of diffusion model and calculation have been developed.