Jang YS, Kim GB, Kim KJ, Kim MS, Lee HJ, Lee JS, Lee KB, Lee MK, Lee SJ, Ri HC, Yoon WS, Yuryev YN, Kim YH. Development of decay energy spectroscopy using low temperature detectors.
Appl Radiat Isot 2012;
70:2255-9. [PMID:
22410296 DOI:
10.1016/j.apradiso.2012.02.109]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2011] [Accepted: 02/22/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
We have developed a high-resolution detection technique for measuring the energy and activity of alpha decay events using low-temperature detectors. A small amount of source material containing alpha-emitting radionuclides was enclosed in a 4π metal absorber. The energy of the alpha particles as well as that of the recoiled nuclides, low-energy electrons, and low-energy x-rays and γ-rays was converted into thermal energy of the gold absorber. A metallic magnetic calorimeter serving as a fast and sensitive thermometer was thermally attached to the metal absorber. In the present report, experimental demonstrations of Q spectroscopy were made with a new meander-type magnetic calorimeter. The thermal connection between the temperature sensor and the absorber was established with annealed gold wires. Each alpha decay event in the absorber resulted in a temperature increase of the absorber and the temperature sensor. Using the spectrum measured for a drop of (226)Ra solution in a 4π gold absorber, all of the alpha emitters in the sample were identified with a demonstration of good detector linearity. The resolution of the (226)Ra spectrum showed a 3.3 keV FWHM at its Q value together with an expected gamma escape peak at the energy shifted by its γ-ray energy.
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