Gamma-spectrometric module based on HPGe detector for radiation portal monitors

Abstract

The appearance of small-sized and powerful enough electric cryocoolers of various types on the market, has opened the perspective of HPGe detectors application, cooled by such coolers, in radiation portal monitors. The first results of a spectrometric module based on HPGe detector with relative efficiency of 45% cooled by a Stirling-cycle cryocooler, are presented. The spectrometer has provided energy resolutions of less than 0.95 keV and 1.95 keV at energies of 122 keV and 1332 keV, respectively. The deterioration of the energy resolution of HPGe detector cooled by electric cryocooler in comparison to the resolution with liquid nitrogen cooling was about 8% at the energy of 1332 keV. With the use of activated filters to suppress pulses produced by the mechanical vibrations, the energy resolution of the spectrometer was 0.8 keV and 1.8 keV, respectively, however, the detector relative efficiency at the energy of 1332 keV has dropped to 39 %.

Keywords

• HPGe spectrometry
• radiation measurement
• radiation portal monitor
• electrical cryocooling