Gamma-ray spectrometry with thick mercuric iodide detectors

Abstract

Gamma-ray s p e c t r a with energies up t o 1 . 3 MeV have been d e t e c t e d f o r t h e first time with l-cm-thick HgI2 semiconductor d e t e c t o r s a t room temperature.The s p e c t r a can be taken using a 10 u s , o r a llshort,l' 0.5 u s , charge c o l l e c t i o n time. The l a t t e r has produced b e t t e r r e s u l t s with b e t t e r peak e f f i c i e n c y , higher peak-to-valley r a t i o , and fewer low energy counts with l i t t l e s a c r i f i c e i n r e s o l u t i o n . Spectra f o r energies between 100 key and 1.3 MeV and d e s c r i p t i o n s o f t h e techniques f o r t h e i r a c q u i s i t i o n a r e presented. The t h i c k d e t e c t o r s need a conditioning treatment, which i s described, p r i o r t o showing s p e c t r a l response. DISCLAIMER ! -----T h k n p~n~a s p e p . R d~a n -n t o f w k~W a n -o f t h a u n l t a d S~G w a m m e n t .Nalrher the United Smsr Cbwnmont mr any wncy thereof, nor any ef Hlalr amployeas, mskesanv warraw, sxpraa or lmplled. or srrunar m y lapal 1IQillN or r e l l m , tor tha amlracv. the publisher and/or r e c i p i e n t acknowledges t h e U.S. Government's r i g h t t o r e t a i n a nonexclusive royalty-free l i c e n s e i n and t o any copyright covering t h i s paper. Reference t o a company o r product name does not imply approval o r recommendat i o n of t h e product by t h e U.S. Department of Energy t o t h e exclusion of o t h e r s t h a t may be s u i t a b l e . DISCLAIMER