Stopping powers for protons in materials of interest in dosimetry and in medical and biological applications

Stopping powers are required for many radiation applications in medicine and biology. Their accuracy can be critical. Some published calculations for these situations have not included recent developments in stopping power theory or the body of work on deviations from additivity due to phase of chemical binding effects. These areas have recently been reviewed and mean excitation energies recommended for a range of materials of interest. Calculated stopping powers are presented for protons of 0.4 to 200 MeV taking the available information into account. The materials considered are Lucite, ICRU composition muscle and bone, A-150 plastic, a TE gas, acetylene and polystyrene and water and water vapour. With suitable corrections and suitable I values in the Bethe stopping power expression, accuracies of <2% can be achieved. (author)