Physics in medicine and biology
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The possibility of indirect measurements of linear energy transfer (LET) with a liquid ionization chamber (LIC) has been investigated by studying initial recombination losses at different applied voltages. A linear fit is made to the voltage-signal curve and the intersection point of the fit and the voltage-axis is shown to correlate with LET. The LIC applied voltages were 100-700 V, which corresponds to electric field strengths between 0.3 and 2.0 MV m(-1). ⋯ The beam qualities in this study were found to have a fluence averaged LET between 0.17 and 1.67 keV µm(-1) and a corresponding dose averaged LET between 0.97 and 4.62 keV µm(-1). For the experimental data in this study the linear fit method yields consistent results with respect to Monte Carlo simulated LET values. A calibration curve for LET determination is provided for the LIC used in the present work.