Configuration of the electron transport algorithm of PENELOPE to simulate ion chambers

The stability of the electron transport algorithm implemented in the Monte Carlo code PENELOPE with respect to variations of its step length is analysed in the context of the simulation of ion chambers used in photon and electron dosimetry. More precisely, the degree of violation of the Fano theorem is quantified (to the 0.1% level) as a function of the simulation parameters that determine the step size. To meet the premises of the theorem, we define an infinite graphite phantom with a cavity delimited by two parallel planes (i.e., a slab) and filled with a 'gas' that has the same composition as graphite but a mass density a thousand-fold smaller. The cavity walls and the gas have identical cross sections, including the density effect associated with inelastic collisions. Electrons with initial kinetic energies equal to 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 or 20 MeV are generated in the wall and in the gas with a uniform intensity per unit mass. Two configurations, motivated by the design of pancake- and thimble-type chambers, are considered, namely, with the initial direction of emission perpendicular or parallel to the gas-wall interface. This version of the Fano test avoids the need of photon regeneration and the calculation of photon energy absorption coefficients, two ingredients that are common to some alternative definitions of equivalent tests. In order to reduce the number of variables in the analysis, a global new simulation parameter, called the speedup parameter (a), is introduced. It is shown that setting a = 0.2, corresponding to values of the usual PENELOPE parameters of C1 = C2 = 0.02 and values of WCC and WCR that depend on the initial and absorption energies, is appropriate for maximum tolerances of the order of 0.2% with respect to an analogue, i.e., interaction-by-interaction, simulation of the same problem. The precise values of WCC and WCR do not seem to be critical to achieve this level of accuracy. The step-size dependence of the absorbed dose is explained in the light of the properties of PENELOPE's transport mechanics. This work is intended to help users to adopt an optimal configuration that guarantees both a high-accuracy calculation of the absorbed dose and a reasonably short computing time.