Monte carlo calculations of monoenergetic electron depth dose distributions in lif chips: Skin dose correction factors for beta rays

Monte Carlo calculations have been carried out for monoenergetic electrons from 0.1 to 4 MeV irradiating LiF chips in both perpendicular and isotropic geometry. This enabled the calculation of skin dose correction factors (beta factors) for typical beta energy spectra as measured with a beta-ray spectrometer at CANDU nuclear generating stations. The correction factors were estimated by averaging the depth dose distributions for the monoenergetic electrons over the experimentally measured beta-ray spectra. The calculations illustrate the large uncertainty in beta factors arising from the unknown angular distribution of the beta-ray radiation field and uncertainties in the shape of the beta-ray spectra below 500 keV.