Interaction of Radiation With Matter

Interaction of Radiation with Matter focuses on the physics of the interactions of ionizing radiation in living matter and the Monte Carlo simulation of radiation tracks. Clearly progressing from an elementary level to the state of the art, the text explores the classical physics of track description as well as modern aspects based on condensed matter physics.

The first section of the book discusses the fundamentals of the radiation field. In the second section, the authors describe the cross sections for electrons and heavy ions—the most important information needed for simulating radiation track at the molecular level. The third section details the inelastic scattering and energy loss of charged particles in condensed media, particularly liquid water. The final section contains a large number of questions and problems to reinforce learning.

Designed for radiation interaction courses, this textbook is the ideal platform for teaching students in medical/health physics and nuclear engineering. It gives students a solid grounding in the physical understanding of radiation track structure in living matter, enabling them to pursue further work in radiological physics and radiation dosimetry.

Hooshang Nikjoo is a professor of radiation biophysics in the Department of Oncology-Pathology at the Karolinska Institutet. His research interests encompass computational approaches in molecular radiation biology, including Monte Carlo track structure methods, modeling DNA damage and repair, and a genome-based framework to estimate radiation risk in humans.
Shuzo Uehara is an emeritus professor of physics in the School of Health Sciences at Kyushu University. His research interests include Monte Carlo simulation of ionizing radiation and its application to medicine and biology.
Dimitris Emfietzoglou is an assistant professor in the Medical Physics Laboratory at the University of Ioannina Medical School. His research interests include the interaction of ionizing radiation with biomaterials and nanostructures and Monte Carlo particle transport simulation.

Section IIntroductionRadiation Transport Codes

Basic Knowledge of RadiationDefinitions of RadiationElectron VoltSpecial Theory of RelativityElectromagnetic Wave and PhotonInteraction Cross SectionsQuantities and Units of Radiation

AtomsAtomic Nature of MatterRutherford’s Atomic ModelBohr’s Quantum TheoryQuantum MechanicsAtomic Structure

Atomic NucleusConstituents of NucleusBinding Energy of NucleusNuclear ModelsNuclear ReactionNuclear FissionNuclear Fusion

RadioactivityTypes of RadioactivityFormulas of Radioactive Decay

X-RaysGeneration of X-RaysContinuous X-RaysCharacteristic X-RaysAuger ElectronsSynchrotron RadiationDiffraction by Crystal

Interaction of Photons with MatterTypes of InteractionAttenuation CoefficientsHalf-Value Layer of X-RaysMass Energy Absorption Coefficients

Interaction of Electrons with MatterEnergy Loss of Charged ParticlesCollision Stopping PowerRadiative Stopping PowerRangesMultiple ScatteringCerenkov Radiation

Interaction of Heavy Charged Particles with MatterCollision Stopping PowersNuclear Stopping PowersRangesStraggling of Energy Loss and Range

δ-Ray, Restricted Stopping Power, and LETδ-RayRestricted Stopping PowerLET

Introduction to Monte Carlo SimulationMonte Carlo MethodSampling of Reaction PointCondensed History TechniqueSlowing Down of ElectronsConversion of AnglesIntersection at Boundary

Section IICross Sections for Interactions of Photons with MatterCoherent ScatteringPhotoelectric EffectIncoherent ScatteringPair CreationSoft X-Rays

Cross Sections for Interactions of Electrons with WaterIonizationExcitationElastic ScatteringStopping Powers

Cross Sections for Interactions of Low-Energy Protons (<1 MeVu–1) in WaterIonizationExcitationElastic ScatteringCharge TransferStopping Powers

Cross Sections for Interactions of Low-Energy α-Particles (<2 MeVu–1) in WaterIonizationExcitationElastic ScatteringCharge TransferStopping Powers

Cross Sections for Interactions of High-Energy Protons (>1 MeVu–1) in WaterIonizationExcitationElastic Scattering

Model Calculations Using Track Structure Data of ElectronsRanges and W ValuesDepth-Dose DistributionsElectron Slowing down Spectra

Model Calculations Using Track Structure Data of IonsKURBUC Code System for Heavy ParticlesRanges and W ValuesDepth-Dose DistributionsRadial Dose DistributionsRestricted Stopping Powers

Section IIIInelastic Scattering of Charged Particles in Condensed Media: A Dielectric Theory PerspectiveIntroductionFormal Scattering Theory: The ProblemBorn ApproximationBethe ApproximationElectron Gas TheoryOptical Data Models

Section IVQuestions and Problems

A Summary and References appear at the end of each chapter.