The nature of dead time in multichannel pulse height analyzers at high counting rates and related problems

The sources and nature of dead time of the multichannel analyzer (MCA) coupled to a Wilkinson type analog-to-digital converter (ADC) were examined. A dead time model based on two types of dead time, non-extended (nonparalysable) and extended (paralysable), is suggested. Special attention is paid to an extended type imposed by the pulse amplufier and the lower level discriminator in an ADC.     

A low cost spectrum multiscaling analyzer based on personal computer for studying the decay properties of short-lived nuclides

A low cost spectrum multiscaling analyzer system based on an IBM PC is described. Interrupt service routines were used to handle both the digital data converted by ADC and record the dead time profile. A dead time counter was provided to handle the dead time problem by counting the busy time of amplifier and ADC, which is important in correcting the decay rate of the short-lived nuclides during the counting interval.     

A software counting loss correction method for neutron activation analysis with short-lived radionuclides

A method has been developed for the correction of counting losses in NAA for the case of a mixture of short-lived radionuclides. It is applicable to systems with Ge detectors and Wilkinson or successive approximation ADC's and will correct losses from pulse pileup and ADC dead time up to 90%. The losses are modeled as a constant plus time-dependent terms expressed as a fourth order polynomial function of the count rates of the short-lived radionuclides. The correction factors are calculated iteratively using the peak areas of the short-lived radionuclides in the spectrum and the average losses as given by the difference between the live time and true time clocks of the MCA. To calibrate the system a measurement is performed for each short-lived nuclide. In a test where the dead time varied from 70% at the start of the measurement to 13% at the end, the measured activities were corrected with an accuracy of 1%.     

A portable, photon analysis spectrometer for the assay of X- and gamma-ray emitting radionuclides

A portable, battery-powered, multichannel analyzer (MCA) for use with Ge spectrometers has been developed for in-field use for the assay of x-and γ-ray emitting radionuclides. The spectrometer is capable of operating to rates greater than 150,000 counts per second. The analyzer is a Canberra InSpector MCA, that is equipped with the INEEL ultra-stable dual-energy pulser, and pulse injection with subsequent removal (PISR) circuitry. PCGAP, a set of MCA control and spectral analysis programs, was developed for use on a PC with a Windows NT Operating System. It includes an interactive peak analysis program as well as automatic spectral analysis programs for the X- and γ-ray regions, and a number of utility programs. The pulser peaks are calibrated with radioactive sources in terms of energy (i.e., their energy equivalents are measured) using the PCGAP spectral analysis package so that energy shifts, including those due to changes in temperature or count rate, do not cause a loss of energy calibration. The number of injected low- and high-energy-equivalent pulses is known so the stored pulser pulses can be used for a dead-time and random summing correction. The pulser peaks are also used to monitor any deterioration in spectral quality caused by noise, ground loops, etc. The results of performance tests to demonstrate the capabilities of this pulser-equipped InSpector are reported.     

On some response characteristics of high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometers at high count rates

It has been recognized that the intensity of a high-energy peak in a gamma-ray spectrum measured by means of a multichannel pulse height analyzer, coupled to a Wilkinson type analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and through the necessary electronics to a Ge(Li) detector, is a function of the threshold of the lower level discriminator (LLD) in the ADC. The LLD effect has been observed for several conventional analyzers and various total count rates up to 6·10⁴ cps. The results of the measurements carried out both in the live time mode and in the clock time mode are presented and the systematic errors which can be introduced by the LLD effect are discussed.     

一种新型在线近红外光谱分析仪的研制

研制了一种新型的电荷耦合器件(CCD)在线近红外光谱分析仪，它由光谱仪系统、电源电路与控制系统、光纤及其附件与流通池系统、防爆系统、样品前处理系统、模型界外样品抓样系统、实时光谱测量和化学计量学软件等部分组成。在兰州炼油厂联合重整装置上连续5个月的工业实验表明，该仪表测定汽油辛烷值的准确性为0．3个辛烷值单位，重复性为0．2个辛烷值单位，具有准确性高、稳定性好、测量速度快、安全性强、自动化程度高和分析测试项目扩展性宽等特点。该仪表可与APC技术或其它自动化系统联用，对石化等大型生产装置的技术进步将产生积极的推动作用。     

The correction for the counting yield in nuclear spectroscopy

Pulser and live timer are alternate tools. Dead time effects can be expressed in terms of a pulse rate dependent factor of the counting yield. The task of their correction should be shifted from the live timer of the ADC to a central timing unit. A new method is proposed, combining the advantages of the pulser and the live timer, where by each selected and accepted event is adjoined to a clock time interval and each selected but not accepted event to a dead time interval. The length of each interval is determined by the arrival of the next selected event.     

Contribution to the radioanalytical determination of heavy metals in the working environment of welders

Heavy metals can be the most important toxic substances in welding environments. Their chemical behavior is related to welding aerosols; hence, reliable analysis of these aerosols is quite important. Activation analysis by fast neutrons (14 MeV), and radionuclidic X-ray fluorescence analysis (241-Am source) were used to determine selected metals (Fe, Mn, Cr, Ni, Mo) in aerosols produced during welding of high-alloy steels with MIG technology. Sampling was done by filtration using micro-pore filters. A multichannel analyzer (MCA S80 CANBERRA) and Si/Li, Ge/Li detectors were used to process the analytical signals. Appropriate statistical parameters were calculated.     

InSpector: A portable multi-purpose MCA

Decommissioning and decontamination work, safeguards related measurements for special nuclear materials, and many other in-situ applications require that the measuring system be taken to the sample and not the other way around. In addition to a portable detector, these types of measurements need a lightweight, rugged, battery operated MCA. Canberra's solution to this need is the versatile InSpector Multi-Channel Analyzer. This single instrument includes the MCA memory management, a high voltage power supply for either a NaI or a Ge detector, a spectroscopy grade amplifier, a digital stabilizer, and an ADC. It has a total weight of 3,2 kg, including batteries.     

Optimization of pulse processing parameters for HPGe gamma-ray spectroscopy systems used in extreme count rate conditions and wide count rate ranges

The need to perform gamma-ray spectroscopy measurements at high count rates with HPGe detectors is more common than many believe. Examples exist in safeguards, radiochemistry, nuclear medicine, and neutron activation analysis. In other applications wide dynamic ranges in count rate may be encountered, for example samples taken after a nuclear accident are counted on a system normally used for environmental monitoring. In a real situation, it may not be possible to reduce count-rates by increasing the distance or using collimators. The challenge is to obtain the “best” data possible in the given measurement situation. “Best” is a combination of statistical (number of counts) and spectral quality (peak width and position) considerations over a wide range of count rates. The development of multichannel analyzers (MCA) using digital signal processing (DSP) has made possible a much wider range of values for shaping times as well as the processing of the detector signal in various ways to improve performance with pulse-by-pulse adjustments. The pulse processing time is directly related to the shaping time. The throughput is related to the pulse processing time and the duration of the detector signal. Longer shaping times generally produce better peak resolution. However, the longer shaping times mean larger dead times and lower throughput. The ability to select the best compromise between throughput and resolution is possible with DSP MCAs. In addition, the dead-time-per-pulse can be reduced by changing the digital filter without significant impact on the full-width at half-maximum. To evaluate the improvements and to suggest an approach to optimization of system performance, a small and a large GEM (p-type) coaxial HPGe detector were selected for measurements to determine the performance at various input count rates and wide range of rise times and flattops in the DSPEC 50 MCA. Results will be presented for the throughput measured at dead times from 30 to 99.9 % with and without the use of the ORTEC Enhanced Throughput Mode.     

Hydrogen fluoride analyzer for gases and aerosols

Many fire suppression agents are currently used, and the replacement candidates for these agents contain fluorine atoms. When these agents are used to extinguish a fire, large quantities of hydrogen fluoride gas can be produced from the thermal degradation of fluorinated organic compounds. A real-time analyzer has been developed to measure exposure levels of hydrogen fluoride gas and aerosols during fire suppression tests. A vacuum pump pulls air through a continuous denuder, where the toxic gas and aerosols are extracted from the air into an aqueous trapping solution. The trapping solution then passes through a flow cell, where a fluoride ion-selective electrode measures the fluoride ion concentration. A solenoid pump moves the trapping solution and calibration standards through the analyzer. Once calibrated, the analyzer can generate a concentration profile of hydrogen fluoride versus time. This hydrogen fluoride analyzer is portable and can be calibrated in about 5 min. It provides rapid response to hydrogen fluoride gas and aerosols, over a detection range from 1 to 5000 mg/m³.     

Alternating copolymerization of styrene and methyl α-chloroacrylate with diethylaluminum chloride

The alternating copolymerization of styrene and methyl α-chloroacrylate (MCA) with diethylaluminum chloride (Et₂AlCl) in benzene at 0°C has been investigated. The copolymer has an equimolar composition irrespective of the feed monomer composition, the copolymer yield and the amount of Et₂AlCl used. The copolymerization proceeds first very rapidly and then rather slowly after attaining a certain yield which varies proportionally to the amount of Et₂AlCl used. A maximum copolymer yield is observed at about 60% MCA feed composition. The ¹H-NMR analyses of dyad, triad, and pentad of the alternating deuterated α-d-St-MCA copolymer indicate that the configuration of this copolymer can be explained by a single parameter, coisotacticity σ(σ = 0.69). A favorable mechanism of the alternating propagation as well as of the stereoregularity control is discussed.     

An automatic NAA analyzer for short-lived nuclides

An automatic activation analyzer with sample changer, pneumatic transfer system and fast pulse counting with real time pulse pile-up and dead time compensation is described. Transfer times between 80 and 300 ms from irradiation position to measurement station can be obtained. Counting losses are corrected within 10% up to total count rates of 120 kc/s.     

“One‐pot” synthesis of crosslinked silicone‐containing macromolecular charring agent and its synergistic flame retardant poly(l‐lactic acid) with ammonium polyphosphate

A crosslinked silicone‐containing macromolecular charring agent (CSi‐MCA) was synthesized via “one‐pot” process, and it was combined with ammonium polyphosphate (APP) to synergistically improve the flame retardancy of poly(l ‐lactic acid) (PLA). The chemical structure of synthesized CSi‐MCA was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and solid‐state ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance. The thermal gravimetric analyzer indicated that the CSi‐MCA displayed good thermal stability and high residue via the catalytic crosslinking. Furthermore, the flame retardant effect of CSi‐MCA and APP as intumescent flame retardants in PLA system was investigated by limited oxygen index, UL94, and cone calorimeter test. When the content of CSi‐MCA was 5 wt% and APP was 10 wt% (CSi‐MCA/APP = 1/2), the limited oxygen index value of composites was 33.6 and UL94 classed a V‐0 rating. The peak heat release rate and total heat release of PLA composites containing both APP and CSi‐MCA decreased significantly in comparison with those with APP or CSi‐MCA alone. The flame retardancy mechanism was investigated via analyzing residual chars by scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy as well as the possible chemical reaction between APP and CSi‐MCA by thermal gravimetric analyzer and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results showed that the enhanced flame retardancy was attributed mainly to synergistic effect of CSi‐MCA and APP, which could form a compact, continuous, and protective layer during combustion. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A straightforward algorithm to estimate the dead time in GC from the retention behavior of homologous series

Summary A new and very quick algorithm for the determination of the dead time t₀ in GC is described. It is based on the relationship between the carbon chain length n_c and the net retention time for homologous series. The shortcoming of former algorithms is overcome: it can also be applied if some not directly consecutive members of the homologous series are used for the calculation.     

A robotic sample changer for a radiochemistry laboratory

A Microbot Alpha robot has been interfaced to a Nuclear Data Model 680 multichannel analyzer (MCA) and computer to allow unattended accumulation and storage of gamma-ray spectra. Software was written in DEC RT-11 system language to control the robot, MCA and dual floppy disk system from a DEC LSI-11 microcomputer. Typically, 8 spectra are accomulated for 3 hours each, providing 24 hours of unattended operation for one detector or 12 hours for two detectors. The system has proven to be highly reliable and has eliminated the need for operator intervention after working hours.     

小型高分辨电子轰击离子源反射式飞行时间质谱仪的研制

常用的气体分析质谱仪使用四极杆质谱作为分析器,分辨率一般低于300,无法解决同质量数离子带来的干扰问题.本实验自行研制了一种小型高分辨气体分析质谱仪,它采用电子轰击离子源反射式飞行时间质量分析器.仪器腔体总长45 cm,在m/z 28的位置,质量分辨率达到3000(Full width at half maximum,FWHM),实现了CO和N2的半峰谷分离;在m/z 69的位置,仪器分辨率达到5000(FWHM).在直接大气压进样条件下,可以检测到空气中136Xe(含量7.8 μ g/m3)和80Kr(含量2.8 μg/m3).使用ADC采集时,仪器的动态范围为1 06.该仪器将作为高端气体质谱仪,应用于过程监测在线分析、环境有机挥发物研究、热分析质谱及催化反应监测等领域.     

Methode de mesure de la periode d'un corps radioactif de courte vie application au179m Hf et au46m Sc

The decay curve of short-lived radioisotopes (T<1 min), if registered by a multichannel analyzer in multiscaler mode, does not remain exponential when the counting rate increases. A method for adjusting experimental values by the maximum of likelihood function is proposed. It includes the determination of initial dead-time fraction. The half-lives of^179m Hf and^46m Sc determined by the present method show a good concordance with table data, for initial dead time fractions as high as 80%.      

全二维气相色谱第二维死时间的测定

建立了两种恒压模式下全二维气相色谱第二维死时间的测定方法。一种方法是利用不同压力下的相对保留时间差规律,计算非同步调制的全二维气相色谱第二维的保留时间,再利用正构烷烃同系物的保留规律线性拟合计算第二维的死时间;测定的第二维的死时间与温度的线性相关系数大于0.997。另一种方法是在已知化合物保留因子和温度关系的条件下,在一次程序升温中测定此化合物的3个以上不同流出温度条件下的表观保留时间,再根据该表观保留时间计算出死时间与温度的关系。实验结果表明,两种方法对死时间测定的偏差小于0.05 s。这两种方法适合于各种类型的全二维气相色谱,无论其调制方式是同步还是非同步。