New numerical algorithm method to calibrate the HPGe cylindrical detectors using non-axial extended source geometries

Area of Science:

• Nuclear Physics
• Analytical Chemistry
• Radiation Detection

Background:

• Accurate full-energy peak efficiency is vital for analyzing nuclear waste and environmental samples.
• Standardized calibration is impractical due to the diverse physical and nuclear properties of samples.
• Existing methods may not adequately address self-attenuation and coincidence summing effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel numerical algorithm method (NAM) for calibrating coaxial high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors.
• To incorporate self-attenuation and coincidence summing effects into the calibration algorithm.
• To achieve high accuracy in efficiency determination for cylindrical source-detector arrangements.

Main Methods:

• A new numerical algorithm method (NAM) was developed for detector calibration.
• Coaxial HPGe cylindrical detectors were calibrated using cylindrical sources.
• The algorithm accounts for self-attenuation and coincidence summing effects at close source-detector distances.
• Calibration was performed with sources positioned perpendicularly to the detector axis.

Main Results:

• The NAM demonstrated a remarkable agreement between measured and calculated efficiencies.
• Discrepancies between experimental and computed efficiencies were less than 3%.
• The method proved effective for cylindrical source-detector geometries.

Conclusions:

• The proposed NAM provides an accurate and reliable method for calibrating HPGe detectors.
• The algorithm effectively addresses self-attenuation and coincidence summing, improving measurement accuracy.
• This approach is valuable for applications requiring precise efficiency determination, such as environmental and nuclear waste analysis.