Tensor polarization in elastic electron-deuteron scattering in the momentum transfer range 3.8≤Q≤4.6 fm-1

The tensor polarization of the recoil deuteron in elastic electron-deuteron scattering has been measured at the Bates Linear Accelerator Center at three values of four-momentum transfer Q=3.78, 4.22, and 4.62 fm-1, corresponding to incident electron energies of 653, 755, and 853 MeV. The scattered electrons and the recoil deuterons were detected in coincidence. The recoil deuterons were transported to a liquid hydrogen target to undergo a second scattering. The angular distribution of the d→-p scattering was measured using a polarimeter. The polarimeter was calibrated in an auxiliary experiment using a polarized deuteron beam at the Laboratoire National Saturne. A Monte Carlo procedure was used to generate interpolated calibration data because the energy spread in the deuteron energies in the Bates experiment spanned the range of deuteron energies in the calibration experiment. The extracted values of t20 are compared to predictions of different theoretical models of the electromagnetic form factors of the deuteron: nonrelativistic and relativistic nucleon-meson dynamics, Skyrme model, quark models, and perturbative quantum chromodynamics. Along with the world data the structure functions A(Q) and B(Q) are used to separate the charge monopole and charge quadrupole form factors of the deuteron. A node in the charge monopole form factor is observed at Q=4.39±0.16 fm-1

Measurement of tensor polarization in elastic electron-deuteron scattering in the momentum-transfer range 3.8≤q≤4.6 fm-1

The tensor polarization t20 of the recoil deuteron in elastic e-d scattering has been measured for three values of four-momentum transfer, q=3.78, 4.22, and 4.62 fm-1. The data have been used to locate the first node in the charge monopole form factor of the deuteron at q=4.39±0.16 fm-1. The results for t20 are in reasonable agreement with expectations based on the nucleon-meson description of nuclear dynamic

Verification of the alignment of a therapeutic radiation beam relative to its patient positioner

An easily-used system has been developed for routine measurements of the alignment of beams used for radiation therapy. The position of a beam of circular cross section is measured with respect to a steel sphere fixed to the patient positioning table and which should coincide with the isocenter. Since measurements can be done at all gantry angles (if one is available) and with all possible orientations of the patient table, the system is particularly suited for rapid and accurate measurements of gantry and/or couch isocentricity. Because it directly measures beam-to-positioner offset, the system provides an inclusive alignment verification of the total treatment system. The system has been developed for use with proton beams, but it could equally be used for alignment checks of an x-ray beam from a linear accelerator or other source. The measuring instrument consists of a scintillation screen viewed by a CCD camera, mounted on the gantry downstream of the sphere, The steel sphere is not large enough to stop protons of all energies of interest; however, it will always modify the energy and direction of protons which intersect it, creating a region of lower intensity (a "shadow'') in the light spot created by the proton beam hitting the screen. The position of the shadow with respect to the light spot is a measure of the alignment of the system. An image-analysis algorithm has been developed for an automatic determination of the position of the shadow with respect to the light spot. The specifications and theoretical analysis of the system have been derived from Monte Carlo simulations, which are validated by measurements. We have demonstrated that the device detects beam misalignments with an accuracy (1 s.d.) of 0.05 mm, which is in agreement with the expected performance. This accuracy is more than sufficient to detect the maximum allowed misalignment of +/- 0.5 mm. (C) 1999 American Association of Physicists in Medicine. [S0094-2405(99)00611-2]

Golden beam data for proton pencil-beam scanning

Proton, as well as other ion, beams applied by electro-magnetic deflection in pencil-beam scanning (PBS) are minimally perturbed and thus can be quantified a priori by their fundamental interactions in a medium. This a priori quantification permits an optimal reduction of characterizing measurements on a particular PBS delivery system. The combination of a priori quantification and measurements will then suffice to fully describe the physical interactions necessary for treatment planning purposes. We consider, for proton beams, these interactions and derive a 'Golden' beam data set. The Golden beam data set quantifies the pristine Bragg peak depth-dose distribution in terms of primary, multiple Coulomb scatter, and secondary, nuclear scatter, components. The set reduces the required measurements on a PBS delivery system to the measurement of energy spread and initial phase space as a function of energy. The depth doses are described in absolute units of Gy(RBE) mm2 Gp-1, where Gp equals 109 (giga) protons, thus providing a direct mapping from treatment planning parameters to integrated beam current. We used these Golden beam data on our PBS delivery systems and demonstrated that they yield absolute dosimetry well within clinical tolerance