Purpose
This course provides the student with an in-depth review
of the principles and practices of gamma-ray and alpha
ray spectroscopy and radionuclide identification. It
is intended for health physics and radiochemistry personnel
who have some experience in gamma counting and want to
improve their knowledge of the methods of gamma- and
alpha spectroscopy. It is recommended for personnel who
are responsible for operating gamma- and alphaspectroscopy
systems or reviewing of the results from these systems.
To do this, the course begins with the fundamental principles
of nuclear structure and decay, moves through the theory
of gamma, beta and alpha interaction with matter and
detection theory. At that point the applications of gamma-
and alpha-spectroscopy, nuclide identification and system
troubleshooting are discussed. This course is designed
primarily for germanium detector gamma spectroscopy,
although many of the topics are also applicable to scintillation
(NaI(Tl)) detectors and PIPS detectors.
To make the theory more interesting, a real gamma- or
alphaspectroscopy chain will be available to see the
immediate relationship between the theory and the practical
use of it.
The theory of nuclear physics presented in this training
course is only mentioned when it has a direct relationship
to spectroscopy. Only those parts of the nuclear physics
are discussed when they are relevant to gamma or alpha
spectroscopy. The course emphasizes the use of fundamental
principles of physics to explain features found in spectra,
and aid in the interpretation of spectra.
Additional topics of special interest may be covered
depending upon student interest.
Course Content
IONIZING RADIATION
- Origin, types, properties (alpha, beta, gamma,
X-ray)
- Interaction with material
- parent daughter decay and effects on interpretation
of gamma spectroscopy results
RADIATION DETECTORS
- Gasdetectors: Ionization, Proportional counters,
Geiger Mueller, BF3, He, Fission chambers, Plastic....)
- Principle
- Properties
- Practical use
RADIATION DETECTORS for Spectroscopy
- Types, principle, properties and use of:
- Germanium detectors
- NaI detectors
- PIPS detectors
- detector resolution, efficiency
COUNTING ELECTRONICS
- Use, properties, tuning
- Limitations and problems for high countrate applications
- Digital signal processing
COUNTING SYSTEMS
- Single channel analyzer (SCA)
- Multi channel analyzer (MCA)
- Liquid scintillation counting (LSC)
- Operation, use, calibration, properties and applications
CALIBRATIONS
- Energy
- Resolution
- Low tail
- High tail
- Efficiency, requirements for a good efficiency
calibration
- Advanced techniques for efficiency calibrations
SPECTRAL CHARACTERISTICS
- Build up of a spectrum
- Components in a spectrum
- Interpretation of a spectrum
- Problems with interpretation of spectra
- Random summing effects
- Cascade summing effects
- Background effects in a gamma spectrum
- Contributions to background in a gamma spectrum
EXERCISES
- Calculations of efficiency
- Calculations of activity
- Setting up a Germanium based spectroscopy system
- Setting up a NaI based spectroscopy system
- Fine tuning the system
- Troubleshooting
Additional Information
Duration: 4 days
Maximum 10 people, Minimum 5 people.
Language: English
Training manual included
Requirements: calculator
Available equipment: Genie-2000 computer + 1 complete detector set for hands-on
and trouble shooting (NaI and/or HPGe detector).
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