A single radiation hard pixel detector for proton dosimetry, imaging, energy resolution and beam monitoring

Abstract

Proton therapy enables highly conformal tumour irradiation by exploiting the Bragg peak. Clinical precision relies on detector systems that provide linearity, spatial resolution, radiation hardness, and, for ultra-high-dose-rate (FLASH) therapy, high dynamic range with sufficient temporal response. No compact all-in-one solution currently fulfils all these requirements. Here, we present pixelated gallium nitride (GaN) arrays as a multifunctional platform. These detectors exhibit high linearity (proton currents from 70 to 1700 pA cm-2) and signal uniformity below 2% across 128 pixels. To probe GaN radiation hardness, we applied cumulative doses up to 6.7 MGy at energies from 25 MeV down to the Bragg-peak regime. Locally deposited dose dictates long-term signal loss, yet devices preserve linearity and spatial response. We demonstrate 0.25 mm effective spatial resolution, validated against radiochromic film. Proton radiography resolves fine tissue structures, with the dose extrapolated to 7 mGy per 1 ms frame in a prospective single-shot configuration. Energy-dependent responses match GATE/Geant4 simulations, and wedge measurements enable Bragg-peak tracking with an energy resolution below 10 keV in an optimised geometry. Real-time ms-scale beam monitoring enables live dose verification.These results establish GaN pixel detectors as a scalable and radiation-hard platform, enabling dosimetry, beam monitoring and energy verification in one device.