Efficiency Calibration Of Detectors Research Articles

双通道自校准光谱辐射源光电探测效率的定标

双通道自校准光谱辐射源光电探测效率的定标

Internal efficiency calibration for bulk samples using a peak-by-peak cascade technique

A procedure for gamma ray detection efficiency calibration for bulk samples using an internal reference is proposed. The technique involves peak-by-peak cascade correlation to overcome the problem, arising when using standard reference material, due to diversity of attenuation to gamma ray among samples. The procedure is used for calibration for 214Bi, 228Ac, and all associated radionuclide using 40K as reference. The experimental validation was done with environmental samples as well as neutron activated indium chloride sample. The peak-by-peak analysis results emphasise the effect of gamma ray attenuation inside the sample on the overall efficiency calibration and give the accurate calibration without need to more sophisticated procedures. The uncertainty analyses of the measurements of efficiency are discussed in order to minimise the systematic uncertainty.

Calibration of HPGe detectors using certified reference materials of natural origin

The feasibility of using certified reference materials for the full energy efficiency calibration of p-type coaxial high-purity germanium detectors for the determination of radioactivity in environmental samples is discussed. The main sources of uncertainty are studied and the contributions to the total uncertainty budget for the most intense gamma lines are presented. The correction factors due to self-absorption and true coincidence summing effects are discussed in detail. The calibration procedure is validated for natural and artificial radionuclide determination in different matrices through an internal cross-validation and through the participation in a world-wide open proficiency test.

Uncertainties in gamma-ray spectrometry

High resolution gamma-ray spectrometry is a well-established metrological technique that can be applied to a large number of photon-emitting radionuclides, activity levels and sample shapes and compositions. Three kinds of quantitative information can be derived using this technique: detection efficiency calibration, radionuclide activity and photon emission intensities. In contrast to other radionuclide measurement techniques gamma-ray spectrometry provides unambiguous identification of gamma-ray emitting radionuclides in addition to activity values. This extra information comes at a cost of increased complexity and inherently higher uncertainties when compared with other secondary techniques. The relative combined standard uncertainty associated with any result obtained by gamma-ray spectrometry depends not only on the uncertainties of the main input parameters but also on different correction factors. To reduce the uncertainties, the experimental conditions must be optimized in terms of the signal processing electronics and the physical parameters of the measured sample should be accurately characterized. Measurement results and detailed examination of the associated uncertainties are presented with a specific focus on the efficiency calibration, peak area determination and correction factors. It must be noted that some of the input values used in quantitative analysis calculation can be correlated, which should be taken into account in fitting procedures or calculation of the uncertainties associated with quantitative results. It is shown that relative combined standard uncertainties are rarely lower than 1% in gamma-ray spectrometry measurements.

Using lattice tools and unfolding methods for hpge detector efficiency simulation with the Monte Carlo code MCNP5

Abstract In environmental radioactivity measurements, High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detectors are commonly used due to their excellent resolution. Efficiency calibration of detectors is essential to determine activity of radionuclides. The Monte Carlo method has been proved to be a powerful tool to complement efficiency calculations. In aged detectors, efficiency is partially deteriorated due to the dead layer increasing and consequently, the active volume decreasing. The characterization of the radiation transport in the dead layer is essential for a realistic HPGe simulation. In this work, the MCNP5 code is used to calculate the detector efficiency. The F4MESH tally is used to determine the photon and electron fluence in the dead layer and the active volume. The energy deposited in the Ge has been analyzed using the ⁎F8 tally. The F8 tally is used to obtain spectra and to calculate the detector efficiency. When the photon fluence and the energy deposition in the crystal are known, some unfolding methods can be used to estimate the activity of a given source. In this way, the efficiency is obtained and serves to verify the value obtained by other methods.

A numerical simulation method for calculation of linear attenuation coefficients of unidentified sample materials in routine gamma ray spectrometry

When using gamma ray spectrometry for radioactivity analysis of environmental samples (such as soil, sediment or ash of a living organism), relevant linear attenuation coefficients should be known - in order to calculate self-absorption in the sample bulk. This parameter is additionally important since the unidentified samples are normally different in composition and density from the reference ones (the latter being e. g. liquid sources, commonly used for detection efficiency calibration in radioactivity monitoring). This work aims at introducing a numerical simulation method for calculation of linear attenuation coefficients without the use of a collimator. The method is primarily based on calculations of the effective solid angles - compound parameters accounting for the emission and detection probabilities, as well as for the source-to-detector geometrical configuration. The efficiency transfer principle and average path lengths through the samples themselves are employed, too. The results obtained are compared with those from the NIST-XCOM data base; close agreement confirms the validity of the numerical simulation method approach.

Comparison of two methods for high purity germanium detector efficiency calibration for charcoal canister radon measurement

The charcoal canister method of radon measurement according to US Environment Protection Agency protocol 520/5-87-005 is widely used for screening. This method is based on radon adsorption on coal and measurement of gamma radiation of radon daughters. For the purpose of gamma spectrometry, appropriate efficiency calibration of the measuring system must be performed. The most usual method of calibration is using standard canister, a sealed canister with the same matrix and geometry as the canisters used for measurements, but with the known activity of radon. In the absence of standard canister, a different method of efficiency calibration has to be implemented. This study presents the results of efficiency calibration using the EFFTRAN efficiency transfer software. Efficiency was calculated using a soil matrix cylindrical secondary reference material as a starting point. Calculated efficiency is then compared with the one obtained using standard canister and applied to a realistic measurement in order to evaluate the results of the efficiency transfer.

The NAA method at Polytechnique Montreal: an efficient alternative way to use the k 0 NAA models

At Ecole Polytechnique Montreal, the philosophy in performing neutron activation analysis (NAA) is long-term and application oriented. Thinking long-term implies a good understanding of the fundamentals of the method, of the samples, of the tools, reactor and detectors, and there must be constant innovation that is experimentally validated with extensive measurements. Application oriented means a NAA method developed to provide users with fast, sensitive, accurate and reliable analyses for various types of materials. This philosophy dictates the manner in which the developments in the areas of NAA software, peak-area calculation, dead-time correction, detection efficiency model, k 0 and Q 0 values, neutron moderation and neutron self-shielding are carried out. This paper presents a survey of the Laboratory’s methodology, reviewing a few of its unique features such as detector efficiency calibration and sample related perturbations of the neutron activation. These features are used as examples to provide the reader with an understanding of the philosophy and the evolution of the NAA method at Ecole Polytechnique.

Monte Carlo simulation of the BEGe detector response function for in vivo measurements of 241Am in the skull

This paper reports on the procedure of the BEGe detector characterization for the Monte Carlo calibrations. A project is under way to improve the counting and operating capabilities of the Whole Body Counter (WBC) installed in SÚRO, v.v.i. (NRPI) Prague, Czech Republic. Possible emergency monitoring should mainly benefit from the rapid, safe and flexible operation of the WBC. The system of the WBC for the detection of low energy X and gamma radiation comprises four HPGe detectors intended for the routine, emergency, and research measurements of persons internally contaminated with low-energy photon emitters, mainly actinides. Among them, 241 Am is the main subject of interest. A precise detection efficiency calibration of the detector is required for the measurement of activity in individual organs and tissues. The use of physical phantoms in the calibrations is often supplemented with the application of voxel phantoms and a Monte Carlo technique that are used for the calculation of the detector response function and the full energy peak efficiency. Both experimental and computational approaches have been used for the calibration of the BEGe (Broad Energy Germanium) detector. In this paper, the process of the Monte Carlo simulation of the detector response function and the peak efficiency calculation is described. Results of the simulations are provided in the paper and discussed. • MC calibration of the BEGe detector for internal contamination measurement. • Description of the BEGe detector parameters for MC simulations. • Three voxel skull phantoms have been used for MC simulations. • Comparison of the experimental and simulated gamma ray spectra is provided. • Efficiency calibration of WBC for measurements of 241 Am in the human skull.

Effect of a Simulation of 241Am Deposition Pattern in the Leg Bones on the Detection Efficiency of a High Purity Germanium Detector.

A computational model using an MCNPX version 2.6.0 code and a leg voxel phantom was previously constructed and validated against the in vivo measurements of the United States Transuranium and Uranium Registries (USTUR) case 0846 leg. Using the MCNPX model, different simulation scenarios of Am distribution in the bones and tissue material of a leg were performed, and their effects on the detection efficiency and activity calculation were examined. The purpose of this work is to ensure and increase the simulation sensitivity of real contaminated human bones and reduce the simulated efficiency error associated with the distribution of Am activity within the leg bones when using a high purity germanium [HP(Ge)] detector. The results showed that the simulated detection efficiency obtained from the uniform distribution of Am in the leg bones was underestimated by a factor of up to 0.3 compared with the measured and simulated detection efficiency obtained from the non-uniform distribution of Am in different sections of the leg bones. The p-value of a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) F-test among the mean values of the simulated detection efficiencies was calculated and provided evidence of a significant difference. The uncertainty in the bone activity estimate could be quite large (25% to 30%) if calibration of detection efficiency is based on assuming a uniform distribution of Am in the phantom to estimate the USTUR case 0846 leg activity. It is therefore recommended that during calibration of detectors, a non-uniform distribution of Am in different sections of the bones should be used rather than a uniform distribution. Additionally, an assumption of a uniform distribution of Am will simulate Am activity deposited in the leg bones of a real contamination case inadequately.

Efficiency calibration of x-ray HPGe detectors for photons with energies above the Ge K binding energy

We report on the efficiency calibration of a HPGe x-ray detector using radioactive sources and an analytical expression taken from the literature, in two different arrangements, with and without a broad-angle collimator. The frontal surface of the Ge crystal was scanned with pencil beams of photons. The Ge dead layer was found to be nonuniform, with central and intermediate regions that have thin (μm range) and thick (mm range) dead layers, respectively, surrounded by an insensitive ring. We discuss how this fact explains the observed efficiency curves and generalize the adopted model. We show that changes in the thickness of the Ge-crystal dead layer affect the efficiency of x-ray detectors, but the use of an appropriate broad-beam external collimator limiting the photon flux to the thin dead layer in the central region leads to the expected efficiency dependence with energy and renders the calibration simpler.

Monte Carlo and experimental efficiency calibration of gamma-spectrometers for non-destructive analysis of large volume samples of irregular shapes

A comparison of efficiency calibration of a HPGe gamma-ray spectrometer applied for non-destructive analysis of gamma-ray emitters in large volume samples of irregular shape is presented. The detector efficiency calibration was carried out during the analysis of cosmogenic radionuclides (60Co, 54Mn, 22Na and 26Al) in fragments of the Kosice meteorite. Fourteen meteorite fragments were available for the analysis with masses from 27 to 2,163 g. A reasonable agreement in the estimation of the HPGe detector efficiency was obtained using the Monte Carlo simulation GEANT 3 code, and the experimental calibration using radioactive standards mixed with iron–silica–copper powder housed in mock-ups of similar shapes as the original samples. The differences in the efficiency estimation obtained by both methods were within 10 %. It is recommended that the Monte Carlo simulation of the detector efficiency can be applied in routine analysis of gamma-ray emitters in large volume samples of regular or irregular shapes.

Development of a stochastic detection efficiency calibration procedure for studying collimation effects on a broad energy germanium detector

ISPRA, the Italian nuclear safety regulatory body, has started a measurement campaign for validating the performances of in situ gamma-ray spectrometry based on BEGe detectors and ISOCS software. The goal of the validation program is to verify if the mathematical algorithms used by Canberra to account for collimation effects of HpGe detectors continue to work well also for BEGe detectors. This has required the development of a calibration methodology, based on MCNPX code, which, by avoiding any mathematical algorithm utilization, is purely stochastic.Experimental results obtained by such a new procedure, were generally found to be 5% of the reference values. While, in the case of gamma-ray energies greater than 400keV and small angles collimation, results given by ISOCS software produced larger deviations, around 20%. This work presents a detailed description of the simulation procedure and of the first experimental results.

Determining 252Cf source strength by absolute passive neutron correlation counting

Physically small, lightly encapsulated, radionuclide sources containing 252Cf are widely used for a vast variety of industrial, medical, educational and research applications requiring a convenient source of neutrons. For many quantitative applications, such as detector efficiency calibrations, the absolute strength of the neutron emission is needed. In this work we show how, by using a neutron multiplicity counter the neutron emission rate can be obtained with high accuracy. This provides an independent and alternative way to create reference sources in-house for laboratories such as ours engaged in international safeguards metrology. The method makes use of the unique and well known properties of the 252Cf spontaneous fission system and applies advanced neutron correlation counting methods. We lay out the foundation of the method and demonstrate it experimentally. We show that accuracy comparable to the best methods currently used by national bodies to certify neutron source strengths is possible.

Calibration of the JEM-EUSO detector

In order to unveil the mystery of ultra high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs), JEM-EUSO (Extreme Universe Space Observatory on-board Japan Experiment Module) will observe extensive air showers induced by UHECRs from the International Space Station orbit with a huge acceptance. Calibration of the JEM-EUSO instrument, which consists of Fresnel optics and a focal surface detector with 5000 photomultipliers, is very important to discuss the origin of UHECRs precisely with the observed results. In this paper, the calibration before launch and on-orbit is described. The calibration before flight will be performed as precisely as possible with integrating spheres. In the orbit, the relative change of the performance will be checked regularly with on-board and on-ground light sources. The absolute calibration of photon detection efficiency may be performed with the moon, which is a stable light source in the nature.

Application of the Monte Carlo code DETEFF to efficiency calibrations for in situ gamma-ray spectrometry

We studied the applicability of the Monte Carlo code DETEFF for the efficiency calibration of detectors for in situ gamma-ray spectrometry determinations of ground deposition activity levels. For this purpose, the code DETEFF was applied to a study case, and the calculated 137Cs activity deposition levels at four sites were compared with published values obtained both by soil sampling and by in situ measurements. The 137Cs ground deposition levels obtained with DETEFF were found to be equivalent to the results of the study case within the uncertainties involved. The code DETEFF could thus be used for the efficiency calibration of in situ gamma-ray spectrometry for the determination of ground deposition activity using the uniform slab model. It has the advantage of requiring far less simulation time than general Monte Carlo codes adapted for efficiency computation, which is essential for in situ gamma-ray spectrometry where the measurement configuration yields low detection efficiency.

An empirical formula for HPGe γ detector efficiency calibration for bulky sources

In this paper, an empirical formula for the HPGe efficiency calibration of bulky sources in cylindrical geometry is proposed. The simple but accurate empirical formula is able to effectively predict the efficiencies of summing effect-free γ-rays from cylindrical bulky sources (within ∅30 mm×40 mm) at different source-to-detector distances. The relative difference between experimental and calculated data at 0, 20, 40 and 80 mm source-to-detector distances is smaller than 5%.

Neutron-Emission Measurements at a White Neutron Source

Data on the spectrum of neutrons emittcd from neutron-induced reactions are important in basic nuclear physics and in applications. Our program studies neutron emission from inelastic scattering as well as fission neutron spectra. A ''white'' neutron source (continuous in energy) allows measurements over a wide range of neutron energies all in one experiment. We use the tast neutron source at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center for incident neutron energies from 0.5 MeV to 200 MeV These experiments are based on double time-of-flight techniques to determine the energies of the incident and emitted neutrons. For the fission neutron measurements, parallel-plate ionization or avalanche detectors identify fission in actinide samples and give the required fast timing pulse. For inelastic scattering, gamma-ray detectors provide the timing and energy spectroscopy. A large neutron-detector array detects the emitted neutrons. Time-of-flight techniques are used to measure the energies of both the incident and emitted neutrons. Design considerations for the array include neutron-gamma discrimination, neutron energy resolution, angular coverage, segmentation, detector efficiency calibration and data acquisition. We have made preliminary measurements of the fission neutron spectra from {sup 235}U, {sup 238}U, {sup 237}Np and {sup 239}Pu. Neutron emission spectra from inelastic scattering on iron and nickelmore » have also been investigated. The results obtained will be compared with evaluated data.« less

Radiometric calibration of single photon detectors by a single photon source based on NV-centers in diamond

A widespread use of various relative calibration techniques is established in order to realize reliable and low uncertainty measurements of the detection efficiency, which is one key parameter characterizing single photon detectors. In the following paper we will present an approach to evaluate the relative detection efficiency of single photon avalanche photo diode (SPAD) detectors compared to a standard detector. This calibration technique is based upon the fiber-coupled relative efficiency calibration of analogue detectors, used in fiber-optic communication. For the first time, to our knowledge, an intrinsic single photon source based on the nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond was used for this purpose. Furthermore, the possible influence of different photon statistics, arising from different irradiation sources like thermal sources or lasers on the calibration results for the fiber exchange method has been theoretically studied.

CdTe detector efficiency calibration using thick targets of pure and stable compounds

Quantitative PIXE measurements require perfectly calibrated set-ups. Cooled CdTe detectors have good efficiency for energies above those covered by Si(Li) detectors and turn on the possibility of studying K X-rays lines instead of L X-rays lines for medium and eventually heavy elements, which is an important advantage in various cases, if only limited resolution systems are available in the low energy range. In this work we present and discuss spectra from a CdTe semiconductor detector covering the energy region from Cu (K α1 = 8.047 keV) to U (K α1 = 98.439 keV). Pure thick samples were irradiated with proton beams at the ITN 3.0 MV Tandetron accelerator in the High Resolution High Energy PIXE set-up. Results and the application to the study of a Portuguese Ossa Morena region Dark Stone sample are presented in this work.