Evaluation of a low-cost commercial mosfet as radiation dosimeter

In this work, a low-power commercial MOS transistor was tested as a gamma radiation dosimeter. Due to the small size of its detector, low cost, reproducibility, minimal power requirements, signal conditioning and data processing, it offers excellent possibilities as a dose monitor in radiotherapy. Sensor irradiation in the unbiased mode was aimed at improving patient comfort and facilitating use. Uncertainties in the results were obtained from an exhaustive dosimetric study, following a full statistical study using Monte Carlo analysis techniques. A procedure to compensate for temperature effects was introduced in order to correct the dosimetric parameter extracted. Excellent linearity and good reproducibility were found in the accumulated threshold voltage shift as a function of the accumulated dose, up to 58 Gy (air equivalent). The uncertainty regarding sensor sensitivity was found to be less than 1% for individual device calibration. When collective calibration was carried out, the uncertainty was around 5%, accounting for a set of 31 devices. In this case, a mean value of 29.2 mV/Gy was obtained. In addition, the angular and dose rate dependencies showed good behaviour. These results suggest that the transistor studied would be an excellent candidate for use as the sensing device of a low-cost measurement system capable of in vivo dosimetry. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.