Determination of Gamma Angular Distribution from the Shape of Spectral Line for the First Excited State of Carbon Nucleus

Abstract

An experiment investigating gamma emission in hadron therapy was performed at Cyclotron Centre Bronowice (CCB), Cracow, Poland, using two different phantom materials—carbon and poly(methyl methacrylate) PMMA. The measurements were carried out at 70 MeV proton beam energy and the gamma quanta were registered with the use of HP Ge detector with scintillation anti-Compton shielding. Although the primary aim was to establish a solid experimental data base for future applications in prompt gamma imaging, the data have also been analyzed with regards to the position and shape of the spectral line stemming from deexcitation of the carbon excited state 4.44 MeV. Measurements potentially useful to determine the cross section were performed only at 90° laboratory polar angle. However, benefiting from the very good energy resolution it turned out possible to extract information on angular distribution of the C* (4.44 MeV) deexcitation by analyzing the associated line shape. This paper presents the scheme of model calculations assuming the whole process can be divided into two stages: excitation of carbon nuclei by impinging protons and deexcitation of the C* (4.44 MeV) state.