Low noise optimization of an electron beam current transformer for conventional radiotherapy up to ultra high dose rate irradiations

TL;DR

This paper reports the development of a low noise beam current transformer capable of real-time monitoring of ultra high dose rate electron beams for FLASH radiotherapy, addressing the lack of suitable dose monitoring devices.

Contribution

The work introduces a novel BCT design optimized for ultra high dose rate electron beams, enabling real-time dose monitoring in FLASH radiotherapy.

Findings

BCT monitors beam current from 1.2 μA to 200 mA.

Rise time constant is better than 20 ns.

Signal droop rate is below 0.05% per microsecond.

Abstract

Ultra high dose rate electron beams also known as FLASH radiotherapy is becoming of importance in several preclinial cancer treatment studies. However, due to the dose rate used during the irradiation sessions, no real time dose monitoring device exists to date. In this work, we present the development of a beam current transformer (BCT), from the choice of the ferromagnetic component and the realisation of the shielding to the design of a front-end electronics based on a trans-impedance circuit in order to perform a low noise optimization of the detector. The BCT prototype is able to monitor a beam current range from 1.2~\textmu A to 200~mA with a rise time constant better than 20~ns and a droop rate of the signal below 0.05\%$\cdot$\textmu s$^{-1}$. Preliminary in-situ measurements are also presented. The goal is to combine the BCT system which measure in real time the beam current, to an ionisation chamber monitoring the beam shape and position in order to provide a reliable dose monitoring system.