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Analysis of background components in Ge-spectrometry and their influence on detection limits

Abstract

In low radioactivity measurements the system own background of the spectrometer is, besides the counting efficiency, the limiting factor for the achievable sensitivity. Since the latter is mostly fixed, background reduction is the only way to gain sensitivity, although it is inversely proportional only to the square root of the background rate but directly proportional to the counting efficiency. A thorough understanding of the background sources and their quantitative contribution helps to choose the most adequate suppression method in order to reach a certain required level of detection limit. For Ge-spectrometry the background can be reduced by 5 to 6 orders of magnitude compared to the unshielded case applying state-of-the-art techniques. This reduction factor holds for the continuous background spectrum as well as for the line background as demonstrated for a Ge detector of the Heidelberg-Moscow double beta decay experiment. (orig./DG)
Authors:
Heusser, G [1] 
  1. Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Heidelberg (Germany)
Publication Date:
Mar 01, 1997
Product Type:
Conference
Report Number:
FZR-170; CONF-9611197-
Reference Number:
SCA: 440103; PA: DEN-97:0FE091; EDB-97:126868; SN: 97001851045
Resource Relation:
Conference: Workshop on methods and applications of low-level radioactivity measurements (LOWRAD), Rossendorf (Germany), 7-8 Nov 1996; Other Information: PBD: Mar 1997; Related Information: Is Part Of LOWRAD 96. Methods and applications of low-level radioactivity measurements. Proceedings; Fietz, J. [ed.] [Forschungszentrum Rossendorf e.V. (FZR), Dresden (Germany)]; PB: 170 p.
Subject:
44 INSTRUMENTATION, INCLUDING NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE DETECTORS; LOW LEVEL COUNTING; BACKGROUND RADIATION; GAMMA SPECTROMETERS; GERMANIUM DIODES; EFFICIENCY; SENSITIVITY; ACCURACY; BENCHMARKS
OSTI ID:
525351
Research Organizations:
Forschungszentrum Rossendorf e.V. (FZR), Rossendorf bei Dresden (Germany); Verein fuer Kernverfahrenstechnik und Analytik Rossendorf e.V. (VKTA), Dresden (Germany)
Country of Origin:
Germany
Language:
English
Other Identifying Numbers:
Other: ON: DE98700903; TRN: DE97FE091
Availability:
INIS; OSTI as DE98700903
Submitting Site:
DEN
Size:
pp. 5-8
Announcement Date:
Oct 07, 1997

Citation Formats

Heusser, G. Analysis of background components in Ge-spectrometry and their influence on detection limits. Germany: N. p., 1997. Web.
Heusser, G. Analysis of background components in Ge-spectrometry and their influence on detection limits. Germany.
Heusser, G. 1997. "Analysis of background components in Ge-spectrometry and their influence on detection limits." Germany.
@misc{etde_525351,
title = {Analysis of background components in Ge-spectrometry and their influence on detection limits}
author = {Heusser, G}
abstractNote = {In low radioactivity measurements the system own background of the spectrometer is, besides the counting efficiency, the limiting factor for the achievable sensitivity. Since the latter is mostly fixed, background reduction is the only way to gain sensitivity, although it is inversely proportional only to the square root of the background rate but directly proportional to the counting efficiency. A thorough understanding of the background sources and their quantitative contribution helps to choose the most adequate suppression method in order to reach a certain required level of detection limit. For Ge-spectrometry the background can be reduced by 5 to 6 orders of magnitude compared to the unshielded case applying state-of-the-art techniques. This reduction factor holds for the continuous background spectrum as well as for the line background as demonstrated for a Ge detector of the Heidelberg-Moscow double beta decay experiment. (orig./DG)}
place = {Germany}
year = {1997}
month = {Mar}
}