Radiation damage to polymer optical fibres

Abstract

Recently, polymer optical fibre dosimeters have been proposed for use in radiation oncology. Prior to clinical acceptance the effects of radiation on the materials involved must be assessed. In this work, the effects of radiation on mechanical strength and power transmission of polymer optical fibres were investigated. The fibres were subject to high energy electrons and photons generated by a linear accelerator for a range of doses. The mechanical properties and melting point of the fibres after the radiation were evaluated using tensile and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) tests. The power transmission and absorption spectrum to visible light and their dependence on radiation conditions were also estimated. The overall performance of these polymer optical fibres as a part of the dosimeter subjected to radiation is discussed.