PHITS simulations for miniNOVO design: Explorations of performance implications of design decisions for a demonstrator plastic-scintillator-based dual-particle detection system

This dataset contains simulation inputs and outputs from the PHITS (Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System) general purpose Monte Carlo particle transport code used in design studies of the detector system developed within the NOVO project (Next generation imaging for real-time dose verification enabling adaptive proton therapy).

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The detector system is composed of an array of long bars (rectangular prisms) made of a plastic scintillation material that produces light when radiation interacts with it. This light is detected by readout electronics placed on the ends of each bar, and further processing ultimately allows determination of where the interaction occurred along the bar's length, when it happened, and how much energy was deposited in the interaction, all these values with some level of systematic uncertainty. In simulation, however, none of these uncertainties are present, allowing iterative design of the detector system in ideal conditions (not to mention at substantially lower costs and times than doing so experimentally). The ultimate goal of this information—from the detected secondary radiation (fast neutrons and prompt gamma rays) produced by the proton beam in the patient—is to be used in reconstruction of the proton beam's range (stopping location) and dose inside a patient, to verify that the treatment actually delivered conforms to the treatment planned. More information about the NOVO project can be found at: <a href="https://www.novo-project.eu/about">https://www.novo-project.eu/about</a>

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The simulations in this dataset form the basis of early design studies testing various sizes, spacings, quantities, and arrangements of bars for smaller-scale versions of the final envisioned NOVO detector array, helping the project make design decisions for its "demonstrator" detector system developed and iterated upon, ultimately culminating in a neutron imaging experiment at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) Braunschweig. These simulations, rather than studying imaging, sought to inform design decisions by providing information on relative event rates, detection efficiency, time/energy/flightpath-distance distributions, etc. to better understand how various design decisions (bar length, width, spacing, arrangement, etc.) impacted these raw physical values (which subsequently would impact imaging performance).