Improving the performance of 241Am-Be for PGNAA applications using a proper shielding for neutron source and the NaI detector

Abstract

The gamma ray spectrum resolution from a 241Am-Be source-based prompt gamma ray activation analysis set-up has been observed to increase in the energy region of interest with enclosing the NaI detector in a proper neutron and gamma ray shield. We have investigated the tact that the peak resolution of prompt gamma rays in the region of interest from the set-up depends on the source activity to the great extent, size and kind of the detector and the geometry of the detector shield. In order to see the role of a detector shield, five kinds of the detector shield were used and finally the proper kind was introduced. Since the detector shield has an important contribution in the reduction of the undesirable and high rate gamma rays coming to the gamma ray detector, a good design of a proper shield enables the elimination of the unwanted events, such as a pulse pile-up. By improving the shielding design, discrete and distinguishable photoelectric peaks in the energy region of interest have been observed in the spectrum of prompt gamma rays.