Design and environmental applications of an ultra-low-background, high-efficiency intrinsic Ge gamma-ray spectrometer

Conference · Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:5553641

Wogman, N A

A coincidence shielded intrinsic Ge gamma-ray spectrometer incorporating a 25% efficient, high resolution coaxial diode inside a 30 cm diameter NaI(Tl) shield is described. System design eliminates the major cause of background and minimizes cosmic-ray created background events through the use of electronic means. The system provides a peak-to-Compton ratio of greater than 1000 to 1 for /sup 137/Cs and high sensitivity for both low and high level radionuclide measurements. At 3 MeV the background is 0.000058 counts per minute per keV. At 1 MeV it is 0.00048 counts per minute per keV, and at 0.5 MeV it is 0.0045 counts per minute per keV. Traces of primordial radionuclides create background events such as at 2.614 MeV (0.016 counts per minute total peak area), at 2.448 MeV (0.0058 counts per minute per total peak area), and at 2.204 MeV (0.023 counts per minute per total peak area). The system is discussed with respect to its background design, methods to improve its design, and its application to measurements of neutron activated and environmental materials problems.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 5553641
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-8945; CONF-810409-5; IAEA-SM-252/25; ON: DE82005902; TRN: 82-008091
• Resource Relation: Conference: IAEA international symposium on methods of low-level counting and spectrometry, Berlin, F.R. Germany, 6 Apr 1981
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ENVIRONMENT
RADIATION MONITORING
GAMMA SPECTROMETERS
DESIGN
ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
ANTICOINCIDENCE
BACKGROUND RADIATION
COSMIC RADIATION
GE SEMICONDUCTOR DETECTORS
SHIELDS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MONITORING
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIATIONS
SEMICONDUCTOR DETECTORS
SPECTROMETERS
400103* - Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures- (-1987)
510300 - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
440103 - Radiation Instrumentation- Nuclear Spectroscopic Instrumentation