Scintillation detectors pulse height analyzers

A typical procedure for Na assay is One gram proplnt samples sealed in polyethylene vials are irradiated for at least seven hrs in the thermal column. In order to minimize any thermal neutron flux gradient, the samples are rotated uniaxially at 60 rpm. Following irradiation, the samples are allowed to decay for approx 15 hrs to permit all short-lived radioisotopes to decay to insignificance. The 1.369 MeV 7-photopeak of each sample is then counted for 10 min with a 7.6cm x 7.6cm Na iodide scintillation detector coupled to a 400-channel pulse-height analyzer... 

Other Components and Techniques. Other components of a liquid scintillator detector include (1) electronics, (2) a photomultiplier tube, (3) a preamplifier, and (4) a pulse-height analyzer. Description of these components and discussion of relevant topics such as (1) efficiency of scintillation counting, (2) quenching, (3) counting statistics, (4) assay optimization, and (5) radiation safety can be found in an earlier edition of this textbook. ... 

There are three major classes of X-ray detectors in commercial use gas-filled detectors, scintillation detectors, and semiconductor detectors. Semiconductor detectors will be discussed with EDXRF equipment. Both WDXRF and EDXRF detection makes use of a signal processor called a pulse height analyzer or selector in conjunction with the detector, and discussed subsequently. 

In many tracer applications it is not necessary to measure the absolute concentration of the tracer in a sample or in a material flow. In such cases a scintillation detector accompanied by a single-channel pulse height analyzer is a sufficient device. 

Excitation by high-energy electrons, radioactive particles or X-rays may be used. Analysis of the emitted X-rays using crystal analyzers is followed by detection using gas ionization detectors or scintillation counters. Nondispersive semiconductor detectors and multichannel pulse height analyzers are often used in conjunction with scanning electron microscopes. 

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