GAMMA-RAY

SPECTROMETRY
The Use of NaI(Tl) and HPGe Detectors
Gamma Spectrometry
• A science of quantification and/or identification of radionuclides by the analysis of
gamma-ray spectrum produced in a gamma spectrometer.

• It utilizes the gamma rays that a certain sample is emitting and converts it into
electrical charges in which the magnitude is equal to the magnitude of the gamma
ray detected thus leading to the identification of the radionuclide.

• This can be done by using a few types of detectors: Nal(Tl) and HPGe Detectors
NaI(TI) Detector Results
Energy Calibration using SCA

Single Channel Pulse Height Analysis of Multinuclide Source

3000

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0
0 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6 2 2.4 2.8 3.2 3.6 4 4.4 4.8 5.2 5.6 6 6.4 6.8 7.2 7.6 8 8.4 8.8 9.2 9.6 10
LLD (V)
How to Identify the Radionuclide Peaks?

Convert the Channels to Energies!

Energy Calibration using SCA

Energy Calibration
1600

1400 1332.5
1173.2
1200

1000
Energy

800 661.6
600
y = 124.13x + 79.935
400

200

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
LLD (V)
Energy Calibration using SCA

• The derived equation of the best fit line is y = 124.13x + 79.935.

• Using the equation, the corresponding energies of Cs-137, Co-60(1), and Co-60(2)
are 675.759 keV, 1122.627 keV, and 1296.409 keV and yielding percent errors of
2.14%, 4.31%, 2.71% respectively.

• By calibrating the spectrum using MCA, the corresponding energies are

661.47 keV, 1173.16 keV, and 1332.5 keV and yielding percent errors of
0.019%, 3.41x10-3%, and 0% respectively.
Energy Resolution or Peak Width Calibration

For CS-137: Cs-137 Peak

2000
FWHM = 3
1800
W = 62.5% 1600
1400
1200
Counts

1000
800
600
400
200
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
LLD
Energy Resolution or Peak Width Calibration

for Co-60: Co-60(1173.2 keV) Peak

1600
FWHM = 3
1400
W= 35.71%
1200

1000
Counts

800

600

400

200

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
LLD
Full-Energy Peak Efficiency Calibration

• In gamma spec, the peak area of the spectrum is often associated to the
radioactivity. In this case will the Full-Energy Peak Efficiency Calibration be
performed.

• It is given as
𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑒(𝑐𝑝𝑠)
𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦, 𝜖 =
𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦. 𝜌𝑒

𝑅 = 𝑅0 𝑒 −𝜆𝑡
Energy Resolution or Peak Width Calibration
For Cs-137:
𝑅 = 𝑅0 𝑒 −𝜆𝑡
ln 2
−6 − 13
𝑅 = 0.1111𝑥10 𝑒 30.08
𝑅 = 3045.1 𝐵𝑞

𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑒(𝑐𝑝𝑠)
𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦, 𝜖 =
𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦. 𝜌𝑒
12.57
𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦, 𝜖 =
(3045.1)(0.851)

𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦, 𝜖 = 0.485%
For Co-60(1173.2 keV)
𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦, 𝜖 = 0.87%
Energy Resolution or Peak Width Calibration

Y-Values
0.01
0.0087
0.009
0.008
y = 8E-06x - 0.0001
0.007
0.006
Efficiency

0.00485
0.005
0.004
0.003
0.002
0.001
0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Axis Title
HPGe Detector Results
How to Identify the Radionuclide Peaks?

Convert the Channels to Energies!

Energy Calibration
Energy Calibration
1400 1332.5
1173.2
1200

1000 y = 1.0974x + 1.2057

800 661.6
keV

600

400

200
59.5
0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Channel
Energy Calibration

• The derived equation of the best fit line is y = 1.0974x + 1.2057.

• Using the equation, the corresponding energies of Am-241, Cs-137, Co-60(1), and
Co-60(2) are 59.3679 keV, 661.84 keV, 1173.23 keV, and 1332.35 keV and yielding
percent errors of 0.222%, 0.036%, 2.55x10-3%, 0.011% respectively.

• By calibrating the spectrum using MCA, the corresponding energies are

59.71 keV, 661.47 keV, 1173.16 keV, and 1332.5 keV and yielding percent errors of
0.35%, 0.019%, 3.41x10-3%, and 0% respectively.
Energy Resolution or Peak Width Calibration

• For Am-241 Am-241 Peak

4000
• FWHM: 2
3500
• W = 3.77% 3000

2500
Counts

2000

1500

1000

500

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Channel
Cs-137
FWHM: 2
W = 0.33%
Cs-137 Peak
16000
13630
14000

12000
10425
10000
Counts

8000

6000 5093

4000 2626
2000 835
161 164 150 181 184 256 522 228 130 103 94 87 74
0
592 594 596 598 600 602 604 606 608 610 612
Channel
Co-60(1173.2 keV)
FWHM: 2
W = 0.19%
Co-60(1173.2 keV) Peak
3000
2525
2500 2237

2000
Counts

1500

987
1000 817

500 261
166
39 56 56 56 51 67 66 49 41 34 22 29 40 28
0
1055 1060 1065 1070 1075 1080
Channels
Co-60(1332.5 keV)
FWHM: 3
W = 0.25%
Co-60(1332.5 keV) Peak
2500
2152

2000 1892

1500
Counts

941
1000
728

500
155 178
10 14 11 23 25 42 34 6 3 7 6 4 4
0
1202 1204 1206 1208 1210 1212 1214 1216 1218 1220 1222 1224
Channels
Energy Resolution or Peak Width Calibration

FWHM vs Gamma-Ray Energy

3.5
3
3

2.5
2 2 2
2
FWHM

1.5

0.5

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Gamma-Ray Energy, keV
Energy Resolution or Peak Width Calibration

FWHM2 vs Energy
10
9
9
8
7
6
FWHM2

5
4 4 4
4
3
2
1
0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Energy keV
Full-Energy Peak Efficiency Calibration

• In gamma spec, the peak area of the spectrum is often associated to the
radioactivity. In this case will the Full-Energy Peak Efficiency Calibration be
performed.

• It is given as
𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑒(𝑐𝑝𝑠)
𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦, 𝜖 =
𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦. 𝜌𝑒

𝑅 = 𝑅0 𝑒 −𝜆𝑡
Full-Energy Peak Efficiency Calibration
• For Cs-137
𝑅 = 𝑅0 𝑒 −𝜆𝑡
ln 2
−6 −( )(13 𝑦𝑟𝑠)
𝑅 = (0.111𝑥10 )𝑒 30.08
𝑅 = 0.0823 𝜇𝐶𝑖
𝑅 = 3045.1 𝐵𝑞

𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑒(𝑐𝑝𝑠)
𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦, 𝜖 =
𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦. 𝜌𝑒

10657/705.5𝑠
𝜖=
(3045.1𝐵𝑞)(0.851)

𝜖 = 0.58%
Full-Energy Peak Efficiency Calibration

• For Am-241
𝜖 = 1.06%

• For Co-60(1)
𝜖 = 0.3404%

• For Co-60(2)
𝜖 = 0.3400%
Full-Energy Peak Efficiency Calibration

Y-Values
0.012
0.0106

0.01

0.008
Efficiency

0.0058
0.006

0.004 0.003404 0.0034

0.002
y = -4E-06x + 0.0083

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Energy, keV
FIN