High-pressure xenon gamma-ray spectrometers: recent developments and applications

Gary C. Tepper; Robert L. Palmer; Jon R. Losee

doi:10.1117/12.366590

19 October 1999 High-pressure xenon gamma-ray spectrometers: recent developments and applications

Gary C. Tepper, Robert L. Palmer, Jon R. Losee

Proceedings Volume 3768, Hard X-Ray, Gamma-Ray, and Neutron Detector Physics; (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.366590
Event: SPIE's International Symposium on Optical Science, Engineering, and Instrumentation, 1999, Denver, CO, United States

Abstract

One of the most challenging and topical problems in modern gamma-ray spectroscopy is the need for thermally stable, high-resolution detectors. Temperature variations affect sensitive performance parameters in existing spectrometers such as leakage current in semiconductor photo-conductors and light output in scintillation-based spectrometers. For this reason, commercial gamma-ray detectors are restricted to operation over a very limited and often inconvenient temperature range. However, many important applications for radiation detectors including well logging, environmental surveillance, and gamma-ray astronomy require detectors that can provide high resolution spectroscopic measurements over a wide operating temperature range. Our research has demonstrated that highly purified and compressed xenon possesses a unique combination of properties that makes it particularly attractive as a thermally stable detection medium for high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy. Xenon- based detectors can exhibit energy resolutions of < 2 percent at 662 keV and are relatively insensitive to temperature variations. The state of the art in high- pressure xenon detector development is discussed including detector designs, current applications, existing limitations, and suggestions for future investigations.

Citation Download Citation

Gary C. Tepper, Robert L. Palmer, and Jon R. Losee "High-pressure xenon gamma-ray spectrometers: recent developments and applications", Proc. SPIE 3768, Hard X-Ray, Gamma-Ray, and Neutron Detector Physics, (19 October 1999); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.366590

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