Effect of low-Z absorber׳s thickness on gamma-ray shielding parameters

Gamma ray shielding behaviour of any material can be studied by various interaction parameters such as total mass attenuation coefficient (μm); half value layer (HVL); tenth value layer (TVL); effective atomic number (Zeff), electron density (Nel), effective atomic weight (Aeff) and buildup factor. For gamma rays, the accurate measurements of μm (cm2 g−1) theoretically require perfect narrow beam irradiation geometry. However, the practical geometries used for the experimental investigations deviate from perfect-narrowness thereby the multiple scattered photons cause systematic errors in the measured values of μm. Present investigation is an attempt to find the optimum value of absorber thickness (low-Z) for which these errors are insignificant and acceptable. Both experimental and theoretical calculations have been performed to investigate the effect of absorber׳s thickness on μm of six low-Z (10