Development of an alpha/beta/gamma detector for radiation monitoring
- Kobe City College of Technology, 8-3, Gakuen-Higashi-machi, Nishi-ku, Kobe, 651-2194 (Japan)
- Osaka University of Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2, Yamadaoka, Suita-shi, Osaka, 565-0871 (Japan)
For radiation monitoring at the site of nuclear power plant accidents such as Fukushima Daiichi, radiation detectors not only for gamma photons but also for alpha and beta particles are needed because some nuclear fission products emit beta particles and gamma photons and some nuclear fuels contain plutonium that emits alpha particles. We developed a radiation detector that can simultaneously monitor alpha and beta particles and gamma photons for radiation monitoring. The detector consists of three-layered scintillators optically coupled to each other and coupled to a photomultiplier tube. The first layer, which is made of a thin plastic scintillator (decay time: 2.4 ns), detects alpha particles. The second layer, which is made of a thin Gd{sub 2}SiO{sub 5} (GSO) scintillator with 1.5 mol.% Ce (decay time: 35 ns), detects beta particles. The third layer made of a thin GSO scintillator with 0.4 mol.% Ce (decay time: 70 ns) detects gamma photons. By using pulse shape discrimination, the count rates of these layers can be separated. With individual irradiation of alpha and beta particles and gamma photons, the count rate of the first layer represented the alpha particles, the second layer represented the beta particles, and the third layer represented the gamma photons. Even with simultaneous irradiation of the alpha and beta particles and the gamma photons, these three types of radiation can be individually monitored using correction for the gamma detection efficiency of the second and third layers. Our developed alpha, beta, and gamma detector is simple and will be useful for radiation monitoring, especially at nuclear power plant accident sites or other applications where the simultaneous measurements of alpha and beta particles and gamma photons are required.
- OSTI ID:
- 22063743
- Journal Information:
- Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 82, Issue 11; Other Information: (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0034-6748
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
ALPHA DETECTION
ALPHA PARTICLES
BETA DETECTION
BETA PARTICLES
CERIUM
COUNTING RATES
EFFICIENCY
FISSION PRODUCTS
GADOLINIUM COMPOUNDS
GAMMA DETECTION
NUCLEAR DECAY
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
PHOSPHORS
PHOTOMULTIPLIERS
PLUTONIUM
PULSE SHAPERS
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIATION MONITORING
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
SILICATES