RADIATION DETECTION AND MEASUREMENT

Shahid Younas

Lecture 02
 Previous

1- Detection Principle

2- Types of Detectors

3- Modes

4- Dead Time

Lecture 02
 Gas Filled Detectors

Volume of gas between two electrodes with an electric potential

difference (voltage) applied between the electrodes.

Lecture 02
 Gas Filled Detectors

Commonly used Gas-filled detectors in

Nuclear Medicine

1. Survey Meter
2. GM Survey Meter
3. Dose Calibrator

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Gas Filled Detectors

Types of Gas Filled Detectors:

1. Ionization Chambers
2. Proportional Counters
3. GM counters

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Gas Filled Detectors

Do you know how to determine type of gas filled detector?

Applied Voltage

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 Gas Filled Detectors

Regions of Gas Filled Detectors

1. Recombination Region
2. Ionization Chamber Region
3. Proportional Region
4. GM Region
5. Continuous Discharge

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 Gas Filled Detectors

Regions of Gas Filled Detectors

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 Gas Filled Detectors

1. Ionization chambers have wide range of physical shapes ( parallel

plates, concentric cylinders or a wire within cylinder).

2. Proportional counters and GM counters must have thin wire

anode.

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 Physics of Detectors

1. Ionizing Radiation produces ion pairs in the gas of the detector.

2. No voltage, no current flow .

3. Small voltage applied, some of the cations (-) and anions (+) are
attracted before they recombine.

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 Physics of Detectors

1. As voltage is increased, more ions are collected and fewer

recombine.

2. Current increases as voltage is raised.

3. Recombination Region

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 Physics of Detectors

Do you know the suitable energy range for gas filled detectors?

30 keV to 500 keV

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 Physics of Detectors

1. As voltage is increased further, a plateau is reached in the curve.

2. The applied electric field is sufficiently strong to collect almost all

ion pairs.

3. This is Ionization Chamber Region.

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 Physics of Detectors

Proportional Region.

1. Amplification increases as the voltage increases.

2. Electrons / anions are accelerated to such high K.E. that they cause
additional ionization.

3. Double Tea-bag

4. Electrical charge collected from each interaction ~ energy deposited

in the gas by interaction.

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 Physics of Detectors

GM Region

1. Charge collected from each event in the same regardless of the

amount of energy deposited by the interaction.

2. Higher Applied Voltage.

3. Discharge

Lecture 02
 Detection Efficiency

 Detection efficiency (sensitivity) is the ability to detect radiation.

 Probability

Efficiency = Number detected / Number

emitted

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 Detection Efficiency

In the equation given below which parameter is

variable?

Efficiency = Number detected / Number

emitted

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 Detection Efficiency

 Detection efficiency (sensitivity) is the ability to detect radiation.

 Probability
Intrinsic Efficiency

Number reaching Detector * Number detected

Number detected Number reaching
Detector

Geometric Efficiency

Lecture 02
 Detection Efficiency

Efficiency = Geometric Efficiency x Intrinsic

Efficiency

 Geometric efficiency is the fraction of emitted particles that reach the detector.
 Intrinsic efficiency is the fraction of detected particles reach the detector.

Lecture 02
 Detection Efficiency

Do you know that geometric and intrinsic efficiencies are

both probabilities.

Could you guess the maximum and minimum value of this

probability.

Lecture 02
 Detection Efficiency

Analyze the Geometric Efficiency in a well type detector

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 Detection Efficiency

 Intrinsic efficiency is also called as Quantum Detection Efficiency.

 It depends upon,

i. Energy of incident photon

ii. Atomic number
iii. Density
iv. Thickness of Detector

Intrinsic efficiency = 1- e-ux

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 Ionization Chamber

If gas is air and walls of

chambers are of material whose
effective atomic number is
similar to that of air the amount
of produced is
current to the
proportional exposure
rate.

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 Ionization Chamber

1. Low intrinsic efficiency because of the low densities and low

atomic number of common gases.

2. Sensitivity increased by adding Argon (Z=18) or Xenon (Z=54)

and pressurizing for density.

3. No secondary ions are produced.

4. Current Mode.

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 Ionization Chamber

1. Used in QA /QC of X ray machines.

2. Dose Calibrators filled with Argon.

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 Ionization Chamber

Ion chambers are widely used in Radiology and Nuclear Medicine to

measure exposure.

Do you know why these are preferred?

Lecture 02
WELCOME TO AVALANCH

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 Proportional Counters

1. Incident particle pulls an electron from an

Argon atom.

2. Electron rushes towards the wire; it will

knock other electrons from Argon atoms.

3. Causing an "avalanche".

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 Proportional Counters

Thus one single incoming particle will

cause many electrons to arrive at the
wire, creating a pulse which can be
amplified and counted.

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 Proportional Counters

1. Constructed with a cylindrical geometry.

2. Look at the position of anode and cathode in

figure.

3. Polarity of applied voltage is important in this

configuration because electrons must be
attracted to central axial wire.

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 Proportional Counters

1. Gasmultiplication requires
large value of electric field.

2. Less volume of gas- multiplication-

region.

3. Seldom used in Medical Centers.

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 Proportional Counters

Air is the ideal gas for Ionization Chambers.

Do you know which is the ideal gas for Proportional & GM

Counters?

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 Proportional Counters

1. Noble gases either pure or binary mixtures.

2. Provided that gas multiplication factor < 100.

3. Quench gases can be used to prevent instability and proportionality losses

caused by UV photons.

4. Krypton & Xenon increase detection efficiency.

5. Hydrocarbon gases may also be used.

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 Proportional Counters

P-10 is widely used gas for proportional counters.

Do you know the real name of the gas.

90% Argon + 10 Methane

Lecture 02
 Assignment

Assignment 02

Find Geometric Efficiency of the Injection Room Dose-calibrators.

Lecture 02