Geiger-Juller counter

GM counter
construction

• A CB counter consists o f o (ne

wire ffiounted along the axis o f•
cylindrical cathode made 0(glass or
metal with a metalized inner coating
n [illed with a suitable gas mixture.
• The gas mixture usually Consists o§
orgon (90%) at I0cm o[Hg n
ethyl alcohol (I 0%) at I cm
o/Hg.
• The diameter o§t/te cylindrical
cathode vciries {rom I cm to Scm n its
length varies [rom 2cm to I 00cm
depending on the purpose [or which it
iS i0 be [Link] circuit to which CA
tube is connected to detect the
porticJes is shown below.
working
• When on ionizing portic/es passes through the gas in tf]e CiN tote ionization takes place.
• The electrons produced are attracted towards the centre/ wire n counted as a single
voltage pulse.
• The wire (anodes is surrounded by the slow moving positive ions sheath which in torn
reduces the electric [ield.
• As a result o/decrea5ed e/ectric held the discharge [Link] discharge continues to
cease ti// the positive ions around the wire moye away from it.
• Since the positive ions take enough time to move awar f‹°m the anode so during
this period CiN counter remains dead.
• Dead time is the time during which the counter jails to record any other ionising
partic/e entering the counter.
• Positive ions more away (rom anode towards cotf›ode, the value o{e/ectric §e/d increases
n
another discharge takes place.
• It is essentia/ that the e/ectric discharge caused by the §rst ionizing partic/e is
comp/ete/y
quenched before the arrival o#new particle.
Plateau ond over
voltoge
• in order to decide the operating
vo/toge o/t/ie GM tube, a graph
between anode vo/toge (X axis) «
and count rote (Y axis) is plotted.
• The counting rote rises n soon
Geiger region is reached when pulses
due to all ionizing portic/es become
o[same size n ore recorded. This is
called Geiger threshold.
• When vo/toge is increased beyond
threshold the counting rate remains
the same for large [Link]
straight portion o[the curve is
called a

• This p/oteou continues, till the excess

potential over the threshold, called
the over vo/tage becomes so high
thot the counter breaks doWn into a
contfnous discharge.
 quenching

• The grid bias is adjusted in such a way

thot no p/ate current §ows be(ore the
orrivo/ o{ the ionizing agent. On the orrivo/
o(ionizing partic/e, the gas gets ionized n the
current lows in the p/ote circuit coz
the grid becomes less negative. I(the
change in the grid voltage iS 5u/jicient, the
vo/tage drop in R wil/ result in
e/'/ective counter voltage dropping below
threshold [Link] the counter discharge
Dead time ond Recovery
time
» The counter remoins dead till the positive
/ON5 have moved su/j?ciently away {rom
the avolanche sites to put the wire back
at the Geiger threshold potentinf.

• The time (or which the counteris dead

is
called deod time.

• The recovery time is the time afier

which the
e{|
icienc¿
• Suppose2000 porticles poss throughond I
b00 are recorded then eficiency g
is given by
g——I b00/2000

'I

00%
• There(ore e}'/iciercyo(counting is the ratio
number o{counts observed per
o{the th
number o(ionizing particles (n) which e
pass
through the counter dnring thot time
q=n”/n
 applications
« The /irst historical
uses o¿the Geiger principle
were for the detection o(alpho
ond beta porticles, and
the instrument is still used (or
thi5 pUrpose.
• Geiger counters con be
used to
detect gommo radiation.
• CJcounters are very
nse{uI (or
detecting nuclear particles.
 Disodvontnges
• The resolving power o { C J counteris
- limited due to a large dead time
" and recovery time so the counter
cannot rates greater particles.
• GN counter hove o very low intrinsic
• e[ficiency
GJ tube have a very limited li(e as the
(or the detection
quenching o(y-radiation.
gases dissociate and change
the pressure f‹ he inert
gases (fled inside.
• It cannot detect uncharted particles like
neutron.
• 8ecause it is heavy , so it cannot be
sent in
 BEFIBITION: S$IN£ILLATIDN

A acintillation counter measures i izi ia i

The sensui•, called a scintillator, a consists
transparent cry_astI, usually phosphor, plastic .
containing anthracene) or ra ic i ui (see of ibid
s c i ti a l io o that fluoresces when struck
a
by io i i tn (usually
A sensitive ) i ie tube (PMT} measures the light
from the acrystal,
li ion. and the output signal is
an elec ho fed to ic ie and other
count and possibly
electronicquantify
equipmentthe to
amplitude of the signals
produced by the photomultiplier.
Scintillation counters are widely used because they can be
made inexpensively yet with good are cie .
 PAbTS :-
• The complete
” scintillation consist
counter s
.. of
three basic parts: ,
• phosphor
I )The which produces
scintillating material a
tinyorlight flash when a charged ›*•*
particle strikes it. •
• 2)The photo- tube
multiplier flash
which
and detects
produce the light
electrical pulse.
• 3)AmpIifier and
electronic circuits which
record and count the
electrical pulses from the
photo-multiplier.
 Working
When a charge particle strikes the scintillator, the phosphor's
atoms are excited and emit photons, which are directed at the
photomultiplier tube's photocathode which is connected to the
negative of a high voltage source. Each incident photon releases
an electron. A number of accelerating electrodes
called are arranged in the tube at increasing positive
potentials and the electron is accelerated by this electric field
towards the first dynode. The incident electron causes multiple
secondary electrons to be emitted, which accelerate towards and
hit the second dynode. More electrons are emitted and the
electron multiplication chain continues through the increasing
potentials of the dynodes, with increasing numbers of electrons
generated each time. By the time the electrons reach the anode,
enough have been released to generate a measurable voltage
pulse across external resistors. This voltage pulse is amplified
and recorded by the processing electronics.
 lk a cl [Link] i c»ra I 3ct ec t i i» rx
i>"c i riti l liit i‹•i» L9ct c c t ‹ » r s

Schematic incident particleshitting a

crystal,
showingtriggering scintillating
the which are
converted
release of and then
into the multiplied in
 Detection
”“ materials:-
Cesirim iodide (Csl) in crystalline form is used as the
scintillator ”’ for the detection of protons and alpha
particles. sodium
” iodide (Nal) containing a small amount of tt ailium is
used as a
scintillator for the detection of gamma waves and
Zinc Sulphide
“ The quantum efficiency of a am a
! is widely used as a detector of alpha particles.
volume)
detector (per unit “depends upon the de
Detector sit efficiencies:-
and certain scintillating of electrons
materials,
in the such
”’ detector,
iodioeas and bis sodium
uth e nate, achieve high
”’ electron
as a result of the high atomic numbers of some of the
densities
elements
of which they are composed.
” However,
semiconductors, notably based
detectors hyperpureon er a iu ,
have better intrinsic energy resolution than
scintillators, and are preferred where feasible for
gamma-ray s ectron etr . In the case of neutron
detectors, high efficiency is gained through the use of
scintillating materials rich in ahgo en that scatter
neutrons efficiently. Li ui sci till io counte s are
Producing of a scintillation flash by the incoming
ionizing particle and subsequent generation of an
electrical pulse in a photomultiplier are divided
into five distinct events.
I )The incident radiation is first absorbed in the phosphOr
material and its atoms or molecules are excited.
2).The excited atoms or molecules of the fluorescent
material of the phosphor decay and produce a light flash of
short duration.
3).The emitted photons are transmitted to the photo-
cathode of the photo-multiplier.
4).Photo-electrons are produced due to absorption of light
photons.
5).Electron multiplication takes place very quickly and all
these operations takes place with in about l0"8 seconds.
cE nEunzzv
I) Sodium Iodide:-This is most commonly used
"šcintillator in the study of gamma [Link] has one
drawback, it is hygroscopic and therefore has to be
sealed in an aluminium can with reflecting or diffusing
walls.
2) Z i n c Sulphide:-lt is extensively used for
the detection of those particles which have short
ranges. It can not be used in thicI‹ layers because it
rapidly becomes opaque to its own radiation.
3) CsI:-This is not hygroscopic and is therefore
preferred over sodium iodide.
 rkhracene and stiIbene:-These are
phorganic
sphors. For heavy particles, these very poor
have
$ffi
’. cie{icy.
’ se are useful for the detection of particles.
!/\P tic and Liquid ScintiIIatOrS.-In these
sci tillators the energy of excitation is transferred
from the sol ent to [Link] are used in counter
telescope which are enerally used in high
energy physics.
6)Gzjses:-For counting heavy charge particles in the presence
of .tr- radiation, Xenon is used which emits radiation
in the '*’. /|

" pul s higher resolution.

 Applicatio
ns
Scintillation counters are used to measur
- radiatic»n in a variety cif applicatic)ns.
•Hand held
•Personnel and environmental monitoring

•Medical imaging
•National and homeland security
•Border security
•Nuclear plant safety
•Radon levels in water