Key comparison BIPM.RI(I)-K9 of the absorbed dose to water standards of the LNE-LNHB, France, and the BIPM in medium-energy x-rays
A key comparison has been made between the absorbed dose to water standards of the LNE-LNHB, France, and the BIPM in the medium-energy x-ray range. The results show the standards to be in general agreement at the level of the expanded (k = 2) uncertainty of the comparison of 2 parts in 102. The results are presented in terms of degrees of equivalence for entry in the BIPM key comparison database. Main text To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCRI, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
First international comparison of primary absorbed dose to water standards in the medium-energy X-ray range
This report presents the results of the first international comparison of primary measurement standards of absorbed dose to water for the medium-energy X-ray range. Three of the participants (VSL, PTB, LNE-LNHB) used their existing water calorimeter based standards and one participant (ENEA) recently developed a new standard based on a water-graphite calorimeter. The participants calibrated three transfer chambers of the same type in terms of absorbed dose to water (N Dw) and in addition in terms of air kerma (NK ) using the CCRI radiation qualities in the range 100 kV to 250 kV. The additional NK values were intended to be used for a physical analysis of the ratios N Dw/NK . All participants had previously participated in the BIPM.RI(I)-K3 key comparison of air kerma standards. Ratios of pairs of NMI's NK results of the current comparison were found to be consistent with the corresponding key comparison results within the expanded uncertainties of 0.6 % - 1 %. The N Dw results were analysed in terms of the degrees of equivalence with the comparison reference values which were calculated for each beam quality as the weighted means of all results. The participant's results were consistent with the reference value within the expanded uncertainties. However, these expanded uncertainties varied significantly and ranged between about 1-1.8 % for the water calorimeter based standards and were estimated at 3.7 % for the water-graphite calorimeter. It was shown previously that the ratios N Dw/NK for the type of ionization chamber used as transfer chamber in this comparison were very close (within less than 1 %) to the calculated values of (μ̄en/ρ)w,a d, the mean values of the water-to-air ratio of the mass-energy-absorption coefficients at the depth d in water. Some of the participant's results deviated significantly from the expected behavior. Main text To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCRI, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
Correction factors for the NMi free-air ionization chamber for medium-energy x-rays calculated with the Monte Carlo method.
A new method is described for the determination of x-ray quality dependent correction factors for free-air ionization chambers. The method is based on weighting correction factors for mono-energetic photons, which are calculated using the Monte Carlo method, with measured air kerma spectra. With this method, correction factors for electron loss, scatter inside the chamber and transmission through the diaphragm and front wall have been calculated for the NMi free-air chamber for medium-energy x-rays for a wide range of x-ray qualities in use at NMi. The newly obtained correction factors were compared with the values in use at present, which are based on interpolation of experimental data for a specific set of x-ray qualities. For x-ray qualities which are similar to this specific set, the agreement between the correction factors determined with the new method and those based on the experimental data is better than 0.1%, except for heavily filtered x-rays generated at 250 kV. For x-ray qualities dissimilar to the specific set, differences up to 0.4% exist, which can be explained by uncertainties in the interpolation procedure of the experimental data. Since the new method does not depend on experimental data for a specific set of x-ray qualities, the new method allows for a more flexible use of the free-air chamber as a primary standard for air kerma for any x-ray quality in the medium-energy x-ray range.