https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/s10050-021-00557-x
Regular Article - Experimental Physics
Experimental consolidation and absolute measurement of the 
C(p,x)
C nuclear activation cross section at 100 MeV for particle therapy physics
1
Faculty of Physics, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn-Str. 4a, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
2
West German Proton Therapy Centre Essen, Am Mühlenbach 1, 45147, Essen, Germany
3
West German Cancer Center, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147, Essen, Germany
4
University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147, Essen, Germany
5
GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, 64291, Darmstadt, Germany
6
Institute of Medical Physics and Radiation Protection, THM University of Applied Sciences Giessen, 35390, Giessen, Germany
7
Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 16, 35392, Giessen, Germany
8
German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
9
Clinic for Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147, Essen, Germany
10
University Duisburg Essen, Universitätsstr. 2, 45141, Essen, Germany
11
Department of Particle Therapy, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147, Essen, Germany
a
clausmaximilian.baecker@tu-dortmund.de
Received:
25
March
2021
Accepted:
19
July
2021
Published online:
2
August
2021
The C(p,x)C reaction has been discussed in detail in the past [EXFOR database, Otuka et al. (Nuclear Data Sheets 120:272–276, 2014)]. However, measured activation cross sections by independent experiments are up to 15% apart. The aim of this study is to investigate underlying reasons for these observed discrepancies between different experiments and to determine a new consensus reference cross section at 100 MeV. Therefore, the experimental methods described in the two recent publications [Horst et al. (Phys Med Biol https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6560/ab4511, 2019) and Bäcker et al. (Nuclear Instrum Methods Phys Res B 454:50–55, 2019)] are compared in detail and all experimental parameters are investigated for their impact on the results. For this purpose, a series of new experiments is performed. With the results of the experiments a new reference cross section of (68±3) mb is derived at (97±3) MeV proton energy. This value combined with the reliably measured excitation function could provide accurate cross section values for the energy region of proton therapy. Because of the well-known gamma-ray spectrometer used and the well-defined beam characteristics of the treatment machine at the proton therapy center, the experimental uncertainties on the absolute cross section could be reduced to 3%. Additionally, this setup is compared to the in-beam measurement setup from the second study presented in the literature (Horst et al. 2019). Another independent validation of the measurements is performed with a PET scanner.
© The Author(s) 2021
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