Novel Equipment for In Situ Alpha Spectrometry with Good Energy Resolution

Abstract

An approach for in situ alpha spectrometry that allows one to measure the spectra with good energy resolution at ambient air pressure has been developed recently. Here, novel equipment is introduced for in situ measurements. Neither vacuum pumps nor radiochemical sample processing are necessary. Flat and smooth surfaces are ideal sources provided that the radionuclide contamination represents a thin layer on the surface. Other sources, such as air filters or evaporation residues, are also possible. Alpha particle collimation is used to obtain good energy resolution, but the equipment can also be used without collimation. An estimation of the detection efficiency with and without collimation is given using an extended area source containing 241Am.

Detection of Photons and Electrons Using a Semiconductor Alpha Detector

“…A prototype alpha spectrometer equipped with a semiconductor detector operating at ambient air pressure has recently been developed [2]. This instrument, which can use collimation to obtain good energy resolution, was designed to detect and identify alpha-particle-emitting radioactive substances from flat and smooth surfaces.…”