The reduction of germanium gamma spectrometer backgrounds in a radiochemistry section at AWRE

Abstract

To help with the measurement of low activity sources a low background high purity germanium (HPGe) gamma spectrometer was purchased. The background achieved in the laboratory in a commercial four inch thick lead shield was four times greater than with the same detector in the low background chambers of the AWRE whole body counting facility. Details are given of the modifications made to the shielding to bring the background levels down, and also areas for further improvements are identified.