High Resolution Gamma Spectrometry

To give a practical and theoretical knowledge of all aspects of high resolution gamma-spectrometry using germanium detectors. 

Course Description

Radioactive decay and the origin of gamma radiation and Xradiation; sources and quantities of radionuclides. Interaction of gamma radiation with matter. Features of a gamma spectrum. Germanium detectors: semiconductors and mechanisms, types of detector available, detector specification (resolution, efficiency, peak to Compton ratio). Pulse processing; pulse types; preamplifiers, unipolar, bipolar, gated integrator; impedance. Preamplifiers: resistive feedback and transistor reset. Linear amplifiers: pole-zero cancellation, baseline restoration, pile-up rejection. ADC function: differential and integral linearity; conversion gain and resolution; Wilkinson and successive approximation ADCs; system dead time and dead time correction methods.