Large-Area Plasma Panel Detectors for Particle Beam Radiation Therapy

DESCRIPTIONprovided by applicantA joint DOE NCI workshop on ion beam therapyJanuaryBethesdaMDidentified an ambitious set of technology developments needed to support a world class treatment program for ion beam therapyOne important requirement is the ability to provide detectors that afford single particle registration at high data rates with hgh degree of uniformity and minimal interference with the particle beamThis would allow performing proton or ion CT prior to treatment andD proton ion radiography during treatment for integrated range verificationalong with beam diagnostics that have minimal interference with the primary beamCurrent silicon detectors employed in first developments of proton imaging systems have major limitations in terms of maximum available detector sizeLimitations also exist for currently used beam monitoring detectors that are not suitable for very fast response times at high beam intensities required for future clinical applications of particle beam scanningWe propose to develop a novel detectorthe plasma panel sensorPPSthat has the potential to remove all the barriers of existing detectors and should therefore allow particle beam radiation therapy to realize its fullest potential to be used in future clinical particle beam therapy centersFundamentally the proposed detectors should be inherently uniform and of low mass with fast response timeDuring Phase I we were successful manufacturing ultrathin PPS glass substratesi eandmm thicknesswith electrode pitches ofmm andmmcorresponding to theoretical spatial resolutions ofmm andmmrespectivelyas demonstrated with GeantMonte Carlo simulationsSub millimeter image resolution thus seems eminently achievableand when combined with potentially high particle detection efficiencies could make these detectors the technology of choice for both imaging and beam monitoring sensors in the particle therapy treatment roomIn thismonth Phase II SBIR we propose tofabricate and test on a clinical beam line a series of progressively larger and higher resolutionultrathin PPS devices withD readoutdevelop GeantMonte Carlo simulation models of the detector prototypes to assist in data analysisdevice design refinementand performance optimizationanddemonstrate that the ultrathin PPS devices will meet the clinical requirements as summarized in our Phase I Final ReportMeeting the target objectives of this SBIR Phase II will enable Integrated Sensors to generate the Phase III funds to produce a universal detector system that will improve both treatment efficacy and the safety of particle beam therapy with protons and ions