NSE 535 Radiation Shielding and External Dosimetry

LECTURE 6: KERMA
-DOSE AT MEDIA
INTERFACES
KERMA-Dose at media interfaces
• What happens at the interface of two materials with very different
densities?

B C
𝐾 𝐴=100 𝐽 /𝑘𝑔
Muscle Bone
 
KERMA-Dose at media interfaces
• Problems in dosimetry arise because at an interface between two
distinctly different media, there is no CPE in a short distance on either
side of the interface

• The region where this interface anomaly occurs depends on the range
of electrons in each of the two materials
KERMA-Dose at media interfaces
• Recall that:

• and

• The KERMA in the two media in general will be different because the
media have different mass energy transfer coefficients.

• The absorbed dose profile is more complicated since it is affected by the

movements of produced secondary charged particles from one material to
another.
KERMA-Dose at media interfaces continued

• Electrons set in motion in one material and deposit their energy in

another material
• There is also backscatter caused by electrons impinging upon a
material of higher density

• KERMA and dose are not in equilibrium because of the difference in

density of the two materials
Example
• See example and solution on Canvas.