Principles of Radiation Detection

Aim: To cover briefly the principles involved in a wide range of detectors. Emphasis on the practical
use of examples of all types of detectors.

Course Description

Topics:
Properties of Radiation and Interaction with Matter: Sources of radiation, interaction of charged
particles with matter, interaction of gamma-ray photons with matter, neutrons.

Radioactive Decay: Basic definitions, alpha-, beta-, gamma-decay, secular equilibrium, transient
equilibrium.

Basic Statistics: Accuracy, precision, distributions, errors.

A Model Detector System: Impedance, signal chains, cables, attenuation, noise, connectors.

Gas Detectors: Basic principles, gas ionisation chamber, characteristic response, output voltage,
avalanche effect, proportional counter, Geiger counter.

Neutron Detectors: 3He and BF3 detectors, energy spectra, wall effects.

Scintillation Detectors: Excitation process, inorganic and organic materials, NaI(Tl) crystal,
photocathode, photomultiplier tube, energy spectra.

Semiconductor Detectors: Semiconductor properties, p-n junction, depletion region, charge carrier
mobility, leakage current, germanium detectors, silicon detectors, energy resolution, efficiency,
radiation damage.

Miscellaneous Detectors: Comparison of film, gas, scintillation and semiconductor detectors,
thermoluminescent dosimetry.