Ar–Xe mixtures and their use in curved grid gas proportional scintillation counters for X-rays

Abstract

An experimental study of the scintillation properties of Ar–Xe mixtures has been carried out with a gas proportional scintillation counter instrumented with a photomultiplier tube. Energy resolutions of 7.7, 7.8, 7.8, 8.3, 8.5, 9.1 and 11.5% were obtained for 5.9 keV X-rays respectively for the 100% Xe, 60%Ar–40%Xe, 80%Ar–20%Xe, 90%Ar–10%Xe, 95%Ar–5%Xe, 97%Ar–3%Xe and 99%Ar–1%Xe mixtures at 800 Torr. Thresholds for scintillation and ionization were also determined. The performance of Ar–Xe mixtures as detection media in large detection area applications has been studied for a 52 mm diameter photomultiplier and a 38 mm diameter radiation window. The curved grid technique was used to minimize spectra distortion due to solid angle effects.