The Monte Carlo code MCSHAPE: Main features and recent developments

• Published in: Spectrochimica acta. Part B: Atomic spectroscopy Vol. 108; pp. 53 - 60
• Main Authors: Scot, Viviana, Fernandez, Jorge E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.06.2015
• Subjects: Compton scattering; Computer simulation; Monte Carlo methods; Monte Carlo simulation; Photoelectric effect; Photons; Polarization; Rayleigh scattering; X-ray fluorescence; X-ray sources; X-ray tubes; Italy, Bologna; Polarization; Rayleigh scattering; Compton scattering; X-ray fluorescence; Monte Carlo simulation
• ISSN: 0584-8547; 1873-3565
• DOI: 10.1016/j.sab.2015.02.005

MCSHAPE is a general purpose Monte Carlo code developed at the University of Bologna to simulate the diffusion of X- and gamma-ray photons with the special feature of describing the full evolution of the photon polarization state along the interactions with the target. The prevailing photon–matter interactions in the energy range 1–1000keV, Compton and Rayleigh scattering and photoelectric effect, are considered. All the parameters that characterize the photon transport can be suitably defined: (i) the source intensity, (ii) its full polarization state as a function of energy, (iii) the number of collisions, and (iv) the energy interval and resolution of the simulation. It is possible to visualize the results for selected groups of interactions. MCSHAPE simulates the propagation in heterogeneous media of polarized photons (from synchrotron sources) or of partially polarized sources (from X-ray tubes). In this paper, the main features of MCSHAPE are illustrated with some examples and a comparison with experimental data. •MCSHAPE is an MC code for the simulation of the diffusion of photons in the matter.•It includes the proper description of the evolution of the photon polarization state.•The polarization state is described by means of the Stokes vector, I, Q, U, V.•MCSHAPE includes the computation of the detector influence in the measured spectrum.•MCSHAPE features are illustrated with examples and comparison with experiments.