LOW-COUNTING-RATE ERRORS FROM PHOTOMULTIPLIER FATIGUE

Journal Article · Thu Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1962 · Nucleonics (U.S.) Ceased publication

OSTI ID:4810446

Reid, J F; Baker, W E; Compton, D M

Results show that phototube fatigue can introduce a large unsuspected error at apparently low counting rates. However, photomultiplier fatigue, the change in phototube gain caused by excessive exposure to light, can be avoided through suitable precautions. It is shown that errors arise in some situations for counting rates as low as about 10000 cpm. Thus, to make accurate measurements of counting rate one usually counts a standard at intervals to detect and correct for any drift in the scintillation spectrometer. Two practical examples are given that illustrate the errors of tatigue. (N.W.R.)

• Research Organization: International Business Machines Corp., Yorktown Heights, N.Y.
• NSA Number: NSA-16-010245
• OSTI ID: 4810446
• Journal Information: Nucleonics (U.S.) Ceased publication, Journal Name: Nucleonics (U.S.) Ceased publication Vol. Vol: 20: No. 3; ISSN NUCLA
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ENGINEERING AND EQUIPMENT
ERRORS
LIGHT
MEASURED VALUES
PHOTOMULTIPLIERS
SCINTILLATION COUNTERS
SPECTROMETERS
USES