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Radiation Detection Practical work, BIRINE - 26 Juin au

30 Juin 2022

Gamma Spectroscopy using a Hyper

pure Germanium Detector HPGe

Elaborated by : NOUREDDINE HEBBOUL

 Gamma Spectroscopy using a GeHP detector
Introduction 

Germanium detectors are semiconductor diodes having a P-I-N structure in which the
Intrinsic (I) region is sensitive to ionizing radiation, particularly X rays and gamma rays. Under
reverse bias, an electric field extends across the intrinsic or depleted region. When photons
interact with the material within the depleted volume of a detector, charge carriers (holes and
electrons) are produced and are swept by the electric field to the P and N electrodes. This charge,
which is in proportion to the energy deposited in the detector by the incoming photon, is
converted into a voltage pulse by an integral charge-sensitive preamplifier. Because germanium
has a relatively low band gap, these detectors must be cooled in order to reduce the thermal
generation of charge carriers (thus reverse leakage current) to an acceptable level. Otherwise,
leakage current induced noise destroys the energy resolution of the detector. Liquid nitrogen,
which has a temperature of 77°K, is the common cooling medium for such detectors. The
detector is mounted in a vacuum chamber which is attached to or inserted into a LN2Dewar. The
sensitive detector surfaces are thus protected from moisture and other contaminants. Although Ge
detectors can be warmed up when not in use, the lithium-diffused N+ contact is not perfectly
stable at room temperature. For this reason it is best to avoid extended warm time, especially for
standard-electrode coaxes where the Li contact affects low energy response.

Objective :

During this manipulation, we will use another type of solid state detector (semiconductor)
consisting of an intrinsic Germanium diode called Germanium Hyper pure. This detector is
especially characterized by its high resolution. It is therefore the most powerful known today
when it comes to gamma spectrometry covering the entire spectrum of nuclear gamma radiation
energy from 50 KeV to 2 MeV.

       Using GeHp and ORTEC ASPEC MCA 927 module , we will acquire qualitative and
quantitative analyzes for some radio elements.
       Therefore, it will be a question of trying to identify the characteristics of the spectra, to make
a quantitative and qualitative analysis for some radio elements and to proceed as a result of a
calibration of the energy and efficiency of the detector, then make an identification of gamma
radiation energies of some radionuclides and finally calculate the activity of some unknown
sources.

Presentation of the used detector:

The Ge (HP) detector available in our laboratory is composed of:

 HpGe detector (Model GEM10-70), A detection part consisting of a (p) doped
Germanium crystal high-purity with a coaxial geometry of 50.8 mm diameter and 37.8
mm thickness,
 A preamplifier, model A257P.
 A liquid Nitrogen tank (Dewar), model ORTEC 30L.
The detector is cooled to the temperature of the liquid nitrogen (-196 ° C) as well as part of the
preamplifier, which gives the set a low background noise and a good resolution in energy. The
polarization voltage of this detector (Model GEM10-70) is + 2300 V.
Manipulation :

A. Equipments and instruments used:

 Ge(HP) detector, (Model GEM10-70) with built-in preamplifier, model Q257P.

 High Voltage Power Supply (HV) (ORTEC659)
 Amplifier, ORTEC 671
 Multichannel analyzer ORTEC ASPEC MCA 927
 Oscilloscope
 Pulse generator ORTEC 480
 Gamma sources (60Co, 137Cs, 57Co, 152Eu, 241Am, 22Na)

B. Work to be done:

 Carry out the scheme presented on the figure.

 Apply the bias voltage of the junction to the indicated value + 2500V. Very slowly, turn
the potentiometer of the HT (20V / s) and check the oscilloscope the basic level of the
pulses at the output of the preamplifier.
1. Energy calibration

Study the spectra given by the 137Cs and 60Co sources.

 Set the gain of the amplifier where the total absorption peak of the 60Co (E = 1.33 MeV)
corresponds to a 4V pulse on the oscilloscope.
 Make an energy calibration by determining the channel number corresponding to the
peaks of the total absorption peaks (137Cs and 60Co). This can be done either by drawing
the line E = f (channel number) or from the MCA.
 Determine the conversion factor (Energy/Channel).
 Identify the characteristics of the spectra (absorption peaks, Compton fronts, escape
peaks) and compare them with the theoretical calculations.
 Measure the Pic/Compton ratio (in counts) on the peak 1332 KeV gamma of 60Co.

2. Energy resolution calculation

To calculate the resolution you have to make acquisition for 60Co source for a long time T until
you reach Np = 8000 counts.

The curve of the pic will be the following:

Where C is the channel and the N is the correspondent number of counts.

Nb−N /2 Nc−N /2
FWHM = [(Cc-Cb) + ( )+( ) ]x F
Nb−Na Nc−Nd
F: conversion factor KeV/channel

∆E FWHM (KeV )
R(%) = x 100 = x 100
E E( Kev)
E: pic Energy

3. Effeciency calibration

The detection efficiency of a detector depends on the energy of the detected radiation. It is
therefore necessary to measure the efficiency of a detector and see its evolution according to the
energy. For this purpose we use the 152Eu.

 Place the source in the axis of the detector at about 1 cm and make an acquisition for T
seconds.
 Identify the energies of emitted gammas.
 Compare with the standard spectrum of 152Eu.
 Draw the efficiency curve according to the energy of the photoelectric peaks є = f (E) and
select the 6 most important peaks.

We recall the intrinsic efficiency of the detector  is defined by the following equation:

=
S: Area of the characteristic peak (counts per second)
A: Activity of the source at the moment of measurement (counts per second)
I: Branching factor
G: Geometric factor

G=
s: detector surface area (detector diameter = 5.8cm)
r: distance between the source and the detector

4. Identification of the gammas of some nuclides

Measure the gamma energies of certain radioisotopes (241Am, 54Mn) using the calibration line.

5. Activity calculation 

We put an unknown radioactive source,

 Determine its identity and activity, taking into account previous calibrations

We advise to position the source in the same place as in previous manipulations.

The activity is given by the equation:

=
 Appendix
Pic/Compton ratio:

The equation of Pic/ Compton ration is given by:

P/C =

N(pic) : number of counts

N(E1) : The number of counts at the lower limit of the Compton Plateau
N(E2) : The number of counts at the upper limit of the Compton Plateau

Effeciency:

The intrinsic efficiency of the detector  is defined by the following equation:

=

Where :

S: Area of the characteristic peak (counts per second)

A: Activity of the source at the moment of measurement (counts per second)
I: Branching factor
G: Geometric factor

G=

s: detector surface area (detector diameter = 50.8mm)

r: distance between the source and the detector

Activity :

The activity of a source is define by :

 A = A0 exp (-  td)

A0 : initial activity

td = decay time from fabrication until the measurement date
 = decay constant