Penumbral Dose Characteristics of Physical and Virtual Wedge Profiles

Purpose: Both physical and virtual wedges are used in radiotherapy to get uniform and desired dose distribution in clinical setting. All linear accelerators of different venders have computer controlled dynamic wedges called virtual wedge filters. Penumbra is one of the important photon beam characteristics needed to be understood in radiation therapy at the time of commissioning of Treatment Planning system (TPS) as well as applying various treatment planning algorithms in clinical applications. In this study we measured the dose profiles of open field, physical wedges (PW) and virtual wedges (VW) for energies (6 MV & 15 MV), various field sizes (10 × 10, 15 × 15 & 20 × 20 cm2), depths (dmax, 10 cm, 20 cm) and wedge angles (15°, 30°, 45° and 60°). From beam profile we calculated the penumbral width for open and wedged fields. The study was carried out on Siemens ONCOR IMRT Plus linear accelerator. The obtained penumbral width of PW and VW of all wedge angles was subtracted from the penumbral width of open field. The deviations in penumbral width were compared and statistically analyzed as a function of energy, depth, field size and wedge angles. Material and Method: The penumbral width was measured using IBA CC13 ion chamber in IBA Blue phantom (a 3D water phantom). The source to surface distance (SSD) during our study was kept 100cm and measurement was taken for 10 × 10, 15 × 15, 20 × 20 cm2 field sizes and for 15°, 30°, 45°, 60° wedges. These measurements were taken for both 6 MV and 15 MV photon energies. Virtual wedge profiles were acquired using LDA-99 linear detector array (IBA, Germany). The deviations in penumbral width for both PW and VW were calculated by subtracting the penumbral width from open field penumbral width in gun direction (in-plane) and deviation in VW penumbral width, and were obtained by subtracting the open field penumbral width in left-right direction (cross-plane) direction. The measured deviations were plotted for both PW and VW. Statistics on the measured deviations was performed by using SPSS Version 15. Results & Conclusion: The results of one way ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) show that the deviations are significant with energy and the deviations are higher in lower energy than higher energy. The deviations increase as depth increases, the deviations are also significant with depth. The deviations increase with field sizes;the deviations as a function of field size are highly significant. The deviations are higher in PW than VW but the deviations with wedge type are in-significant. As wedge angle increases, deviations also increase and the effect of wedge angle is highly significant on deviations.

Controllable resistive switching of STO:Ag/SiO2-based memristor synapse for neuromorphic computing

Resistive random-access memory(RRAM)is a promising technology to develop nonvolatile memory and artificial synaptic devices for brain-inspired neuromorphic computing.Here,we have developed a STO:Ag/SiO_(2) bilayer based memristor that has exhibited a filamentary resistive switching with stable endurance and long-term data retention ability.The memristor also exhibits a tunable resistance modulation under positive and negative pulse trains,which could fully mimic the potentiation and depression behavior like a bio-synapse.Several synaptic plasticity functions,including long-term potentiation(LTP)and long-term depression(LTD),paired-pulsed facilitation(PPF),spike-rate-dependent-plasticity(SRDP),and post-tetanic potentiation(PTP),are faithfully implemented with the fabricated memristor.Moreover,to demonstrate the feasibility of our memristor synapse for neuromorphic applications,spike-timedependent plasticity(STDP)is also investigated.Based on conductive atomic force microscopy observations and electrical transport model analyses,it can be concluded that it is the controlled formation and rupture of Ag filaments that are responsible for the resistive switching while exhibiting a switching ratio of~10;along with a good endurance and stability suitable for nonvolatile memory applications.Before fully electroforming,the gradual conductance modulation of Ag/STO:Ag/SiO_(2)/p^(++)-Si memristor can be realized,and the working mechanism could be explained by the succeeding growth and contraction of Ag filaments promoted by a redox reaction.This newly fabricated memristor may enable the development of nonvolatile memory and realize controllable resistance/weight modulation when applied as an artificial synapse for neuromorphic computing.

FeNi@CNS nanocomposite as an efficient electrochemical catalyst for N_(2)-to-NH_(3) conversion under ambient conditions

The electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction(NRR)has emerged as a promising renewable energy source and a feasible strategy as an alternative to Haber-Bosch ammonia(NH_(3))synthesis.However,finding an efficient and cost-effective robust catalyst to activate and cleave the extremely strong triple bond in nitrogen(N_(2))for electrocatalytic NRR is still a challenge.Herein,a FeNi@CNS nanocomposite as an efficient catalyst for N_(2) fixation under ambient conditions is designed.This FeNi@CNS nanocomposite was prepared by a simple water bath process and post-calcination.The FeNi@CNS is demonstrated to be a highly efficient NRR catalyst,which exhibits better NRR performance with exceptional Faradaic efficiency of 9.83%and an NH_(3) yield of 16.52μg h^(−1) cm^(−2) in 0.1 M Na_(2)SO_(4) aqueous solution.Besides,high stability and reproducibility with consecutive 6 cycles for two hours are also demonstrated throughout the NRR electrocatalytic process for 12 h.Meanwhile,the FeNi@CNS catalyst encourages N_(2) adsorption and activation as well as effectively suppressing competitive HER.Therefore,this earth-abundant FeNi@CNS catalyst with a subtle balance of activity and stability has excellent potential in NRR industrial applications.

An oxide-based heterojunction optoelectronic synaptic device with wideband and rapid response performance

With the rapid development of science and technology,the emergence of new application scenarios,such as robots,driverless vehicles and smart city,puts forward high requirements for artificial visual systems.Optoelectronic synaptic devices have attracted much attention due to their advantages in sensing,memory and computing integration.In this work,via band structure engineering and heterostructure designing,a heterojunction optoelectronic synaptic device based on Cu doped with n-type SrTiO_(3)(Cu:STO)film combined with p-type CuAlO_(2)(CAO)thin film was fabricated.It is found surprisingly that the optoelectronic device based on Cu:STO/CAO p-n heterojunction exhibits a rapid response of 2 ms,and that it has a wideband response from visible to near-infrared(NIR)region.Additionally,a series of important synaptic functions,including excitatory postsynaptic current(EPSC),paired-pulse facilitation(PPF),shortterm potentiation(STP)to long-term potentiation(LTP)transition,learning experience behavior and image sharpening,have been successfully simulated on the device.More importantly,the performance of the device remains still stable and reliable after several months which were stored at room temperature and atmospheric pressure.Based on these advantages,the optoelectronic synaptic devices demonstrated here provide great potential in the new generation of artificial visual systems.