1.
Differentiate between efficiency and energy resolution of a detector
2. An overnight background count is made for a gas-flow proportional counter and this value
is used throughout the next day for 10 min measurements of routine air filters. If the
background count is 7600 counts in 800 min and the sample count plus the background is
240 counts in 10 min, determine
a) the net count rate for the sample and its uncertainty,
b) the sample count rate if it were to be counted for 30 min to yield 720 counts.
Solution.
240
a. The sample count rate: = 24 c/m
10
240 15.49
The uncertainty in the sample count rate will be: = = 1.55 c/m
10 10
The sample count rate with uncertainty is 24±1.55 c/m
7600
background count rate: = 9.5 c/m
800
7600 87.1780
The uncertainty in the count rate will be: = = 0.11 c/m
800 800
= (24 − 9.5) (1.55) 2 + (0.11) 2
Therefore, the Net count rate
= 14.5 1.554 c / m
720
b. The sample count rate: = 24 c/m
30
720 26.8328
The uncertainty in the sample count rate will be: = = 0.8944 c/m
30 30
The sample count rate with uncertainty is 24±0.89 c/m
= (24 − 9.5) (0.8944) 2 + (0.11) 2
Therefore, the net count rate
= 14.5 0.901 c / m
3. A detector system in a laboratory is routinely set to accumulate a 1000 min background
count overnight. If the background count rate from the 1000 min count is 11 c/m, how
long must a sample be counted the next morning in order to measure 1 c/m above
background with 95% confidence? Take calc = 1.96 for the 95% confidence interval (p =
0.05).
Solution
background count rate: = 11 c/m
background counting = 1000 min
1
background counts = 1000 11 = 11000 min
sample net count rate: = 1 c/m
sample gross count rate: = (11 + 1) = 12 c/m
rG − rB
cal =
rG rB
+
tG t B
rG − rB 12 − 11 12 − 11
cal = = =
rG rB 12 11 12 11
+ + +
tG t B tG 1000 tG 1000
1
( cal ) 2 =
12 11
( + )
tG 1000
12 11
( cal ) 2 ( + ) =1
tG 1000
12 1 11
= −
tG ( cal ) 1000
2
12 1 11 1 11
= 2
− = −
tG (1.96) 1000 3.8416 1000
12
= 0.2603 − 0.011 = 0.2493
tG
12
tG =
0.2493
tG = 48.13min
4. Draw the basic block diagram for energy spectroscopy
5. Explain the basic function of each component in the diagram
6. Explain Dead time of a detector
2
7. Show that efficiency of a GM tube is given by: Efficiency ( ) = 1 − n
solution
A B
Detector A has = 0 Detector =
For detector A For detector A
N counts – 1 second n counts – 1 second
1 1
1 count = second 1 count = second
N n
1 1
The difference in time between the two detectors but N n
n N
1 1
= −
n N
1 1
= −
N n
n = N (1 − n)
n
N=
1− n
n
Efficiency ( ) =
N
n 1− n
Efficiency ( ) = =n
n n
1 − n
Efficiency ( ) = 1 − n
3
8. Suppose a counting system has a dead time (τ) of detector is 200 μs and the observed
gross counting rate (g) is 30,000 counts/min. What fraction of counts is lost because of
dead time? What is the true counting rate?
N
n=
1+ N
N = 30000 = 500counts / sec
60
500
n=
1 + (200 10 −6 500)
500
n=
1 + (200 10 −6 500)
500
n=
1 + 0.1
500
n=
1.1
n = 454.55 counts / sec
Therefore, the dead time is responsible for loss of
500 − 454.55 500 − 454.55 45.45
= = = 0.091 = 9.1%
500 500 500