High energy fast neutrons from the Harwell variable energy cyclotron. I. Physical characteristics.

A high energy fast neutron beam potentially suitable for radiotherapy was built at the Harwell variable energy cyclotron. The beam line is described and results are given of physical measurements on the fast neutron beams produced by 42 MeV deuterons on thick (4 mm) and thin (2 mm) beryllium targets. With 20 muA beam current the entrance dose rate in a phantom 150 cm from the target was about 130 rad min-1 with the thick target and about 60 rad min-1 with the thin target. Therefore, it is possible to use both the thin target and the relatively large target-skin distance of 150 cm to improve depth dose for radiotherapy or radiobiology. With this arrangement the dose rate decreased to 50% at depths in the phantom of 11.3-15.4 cm, depending on the field size. The use of primarily hydrogenous materials for shielding and collimation provided beam edge definition similar to that of 60Co teletherapy units, and off-axis radiation levels of approximately 1% which compare favorably with 14 MeV deuteron-tritium generators. The copper backing of the thin target became highly radioactive and an alterative material may be preferable. Biologic characteristics of the beam are described in a companion paper.