Electronic emission of radio-sensitizing gold nanoparticles under X-ray irradiation: experiment and simulations

• Published in: Journal of nanoparticle research : an interdisciplinary forum for nanoscale science and technology Vol. 16; no. 4; pp. 1 - 10
• Main Authors: Casta, R., Champeaux, J.-P., Sence, M., Moretto-Capelle, P., Cafarelli, P., Amsellem, A., Sicard-Roselli, C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.04.2014; Springer; Springer Nature B.V; Springer Verlag
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Coating; Computer simulation; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electronics; Emissions; Exact sciences and technology; Gold; Inorganic Chemistry; Irradiation; Lasers; Materials Science; Mathematical models; Molecular electronics, nanoelectronics; Nanocrystalline materials; Nanoparticles; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanotechnology; Optical Devices; Optics; Photonics; Physical Chemistry; Physics; Research Paper; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; X-rays; Nanoparticles; Gold; Modeling and simulation; Emission; XPS; Electronic; X-ray; Digital simulation; Theoretical study; Coatings; X ray irradiation; Nanoelectronics; Experimental result; Electronic effect; Modelling; Electron emission; Nanostructured materials; X-ray photoelectron spectra
• ISSN: 1388-0764; 1572-896X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11051-014-2348-8

In this paper, we present new results on electronic emission of Gold Nanoparticles (GNPs) using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and compare them to the gold bulk electron emission. This subject has undergone new interest within the perspective of using GNPs as a radiotherapy enhancer. The experimental results were simulated using various models (Livermore and PENELOPE) of the Geant4 simulation toolkit dedicated to the calculation of the transportation of particles through the matter. Our results show that the GNPs coating is a key parameter to correctly construe the experimental GNPs electronic emission after X-ray irradiation and point out some limitations of the PENELOPE model. Using XPS spectra and Geant4 Livermore simulations, we propose a method to determine precisely the coating surface density of the GNPs. We also show that the expected intrinsic nano-scale electronic emission enhancement effect—suspected to contribute to the GNPs radio-sensitizing properties—participates at most for a few percent of the global electronic emission spectra of the GNPs compared to gold bulk.