Some remarks on the determination of dead time by the two sources method

Abstract

The condition n12τ≲0.1 usually prescribed in measuring the dead time τ of an electronic chain is too drastic. Indeed, if the recurrence is increased by a factor n, the measurement duration of τ is n3 times smaller. Even if n12τ=0.1, the exact formula giving τ, n12τ =1−(1−2n12τap)1/2, where τap= (n1+n2−n12)/2n1n2, is needed for an accuracy of 1%. These conclusions have been verified experimentally.