新型高纯锗（HPGe）探测器的原理,使用及其维护

此文以本单位购置的ＧＭＸ－ＨＰＧｅ（ＭＡＭＭＡ－Ｘ＾ＲＨｉｇｈ－Ｐｕｒｉｔｙ Ｇｅｒｍａｎｉｕｍ）探测器为例，对这种新型探测器的工作原理，技术指标测试与使用，以及日常维护和注意事项做一简述和探讨，供使用此类探测器用户参考。     

低能量阈HPGe探测器测量WIMPs

建立了一套用于暗物质WIMPs粒子直接探测研究的低本底、低能量阈高纯锗探测器,探测器质量为5g,能量阈可以达到100eV.基于标准模型的最小超对称性扩展理论(MSSM),讨论了该探测器可能研究的超对称参数空间.研究结果表明,在WIMPs较小质量区域,这一实验可能给出WIMPs与锗核相互作用截面的最低上限     

Radioactivity concentration measurement and analysis in construction floor materials of Korea

In this study, the radioactive concentrations contained in samples of commonly used building floor materials were measured. This result can be used as basic information for public health and the environment. Among building floor materials, samples of induction blocks, cement bricks, artificial granite blocks and compact high-pressure blocks were chosen and used. A detailed gamma nuclide analysis was performed with a multichannel analyzer by putting these samples on a high-purity germanium detector which is a semiconductor detector. In order to measure the concentration of radionuclides, a spectrum file was obtained by analyzing the concentration of gamma radionuclides and setting the measurement time as 1000, 4000, 7000 and 10,000?s. According to the study results, K-40, Bi-214, Pb-214, Ra-226 and U-235 were detected in the induction blocks measured at 10,000?s and K-40, Th-230, Bi-214, Pb-214, Ra-226 and Na-22 were detected in the cement bricks measured at 10,000?s. K-40, Bi-214, Pb-214, Th-234, U-235 and Ra-223 were detected in the artificial granite blocks measured at 10,000?s and K-40, Bi-214, Pb-214, Th-234, Ra-226, Ra-223 and Mn-54 were detected in the compact high-pressure blocks. In conclusion, low-level radioactivity was detected in building floor materials, so it is thought that measures to reduce radioactivity and further studies on this will be needed.     

Excel和Origin在核物理实验“HPGe-γ谱仪效率刻度”中的应用

"HPGe-γ谱仪效率刻度"是核物理实验教学的重要内容。利用Excel对实验数据进行记录和计算,结合Origin软件的数据管理、绘图、微分、非线性拟合等功能,本文给出了效率刻度数据处理方法。对兰州大学核物理实验中心的HPGe-γ探测器进行了效率刻度。本方法大大简化了谱仪效率刻度实验中的数据处理过程。     

Absolute efficiency calibration of high-purity germanium detector in the range 120–8500 keV

This article reports the efficiency response curve of the high-purity germanium detector over the wide energy range, covering from 120 to 8500 keV. The efficiencies were measured for different counting geometries by using point radionuclide standards (mono-energetic as well as multi-gamma emitters) supplied by IAEA and the capture gamma-ray facility installed at PINSTECH nuclear reactor PARR-1. The measured efficiencies were required to fit with a suitable fitting function for interpolation within the energy range of interest. Several fitting functions were proposed in the literature covering different energy ranges. The functions giving the best fit to experimental data are presented. The work has successfully extended the response curve beyond 1500–8500 keV, which is the region where the standard calibration radionuclides are not available. The thermal neutron capture gamma-ray facility provided the collimated neutron beam, extracted from the core of the reactor and made to react with ammonium chloride target to produce the capture gamma rays for determining the efficiencies in the extended region. It was found that the capture gamma-ray provides a satisfactory solution to extend the absolute efficiency calibration in the MeV range. It was also found that the fitting function that is linear in its parameter was highly satisfactory up to 1500 keV but proved insufficient upto 8500 keV. The exponential function giving the good fit over the range has been presented. Good agreement has been found between the experimentally measured absolute efficiencies and the predicted result.     

基于蒙特卡罗的HPGe伽马谱仪无源效率刻度方法

采用MCNP5模拟与数学计算相结合,并利用探测器晶体几何的轴对称性,建立一种HPGe探测器的无源效率刻度方法。基于此方法的计算程序在使用过程中完全脱离MCNP5,运算时间为1~60 s,可实现点源和同轴圆柱体源的效率刻度,能量范围为50 keV~3 MeV。程序计算结果与实验数据以及MCNP5直接模拟结果比较,误差分别不超过12%和7%,证明方法可行。     

Appraisal of radioactivity and associated radiation hazards in sand samples of four rivers of Punjab province,Pakistan

Natural and anthropogenic radioactivity of sand and water samples collected from the four big rivers of Punjab province, Pakistan, was measured using a high-purity germanium detector coupled with a high resolution multichannel analyser. The average concentration of the naturally occurring radionuclides ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in all the sand samples from the rivers Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Indus was found to be 22±0.6, 36±1 and 287±10 Bq?kg ^?1, respectively, while the concentration of the anthropogenic radionuclide ¹³⁷Cs was found to be below the minimum detectable activity, i.e. ～ 1.2 Bq?kg ^?1. All the sand samples have Ra_eq concentrations lower than the limit of 370 Bq?kg ^?1. Indoor (H _in) and outdoor (H _out) radiation hazard indices were calculated for the samples to assess the radiation hazards arising due to the use of this sand in construction, and were found to be less than unity in the study area. Calculated values of the absorbed dose rate were less than the typical world average value of 59 nGy?h ^?1, and the annual effective dose rate was also less than the typical world value of 70 μSv, except in the Indus river, in which it is slightly higher then the world average. Results show that the measured values are comparable with other global radioactivity measurements. None of the studied riverbeds was considered a radiological hazard, and their sand can be safely used in construction.     

Double-electron capture of Se and the search for neutrinoless decay

Experimental results on the measurement of the double-electron capture (εε) decay process of ⁷⁴Se are described. This decay is particularly interesting, because ⁷⁴Se is almost degenerate to the second excited state at 1204 keV in the daughter nucleus ⁷⁴Ge. Such a degeneracy favors a neutrinoless decay because of the large phase-space suppression for a decay with two neutrinos. Subsequent de-excitation would generate a 2γ-ray cascade of 608 and 596 keV, whose coincident detection provides a unique signature for this particular εε process. The 2γ-ray cascade has been searched for by a HPGe γ-ray detector in coincidence with a NaI detector using 3 kg of natural selenium.     

First search for double β decay of dysprosium

A search for double β decay of dysprosium was realized for the first time with the help of an ultra-low background HP Ge γ detector. After 2512 h of data taking with a 322 g sample of dysprosium oxide limits on double beta processes in ¹⁵⁶Dy and ¹⁵⁸Dy have been established on the level of T_1/2?¹⁰¹⁴–¹⁰¹⁶ yr$T_{1/2}?{10}^{14}\text{–}{10}^{16}\text{yr}$. Possible resonant double electron captures in ¹⁵⁶Dy and ¹⁵⁸Dy were restricted on a similar level. As a by-product of the experiment we have measured the radioactive contamination of the Dy₂O₃ sample and set limits on the α   decay of dysprosium isotopes to the excited levels of daughter nuclei as T_1/2?¹⁰¹⁵–¹⁰¹⁷ yr$T_{1/2}?{10}^{15}\text{–}{10}^{17}\text{yr}$.     

Analysis of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in soil samples for the assessment of the average effective dose

The activity concentrations of the natural radionuclides namely ²³⁸Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K are measured for soil samples collected from different locations of Faridkot and Mansa districts of Punjab. HPGe detector, based on high-resolution gamma spectrometry system is used for the measurement of activity concentration. The range of activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in the soil from the studied areas varies from 21.42 Bq kg⁻¹ to 40.23 Bq kg⁻¹, 61.01 Bq kg⁻¹ to 142.34 Bq kg⁻¹ and 227.11 Bq kg⁻¹ to 357.13 Bq kg⁻¹ with overall mean values of 27.17 Bq kg⁻¹, 95.22 Bq kg⁻¹ and 312.76 Bq kg⁻¹, respectively. Radium equivalent activities are calculated for the analyzed samples to assess the radiation hazards arising due to the use of these soil samples in the construction of dwellings. The absorbed dose rate calculated from activity concentration of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K ranges between 9.87 and 18.55, 38.01 and 88.68 and 9.40 and 14.79 nGy h⁻¹, respectively. The total absorbed dose in the study area ranges from 61.10 nGy h⁻¹ to 112.86 nGy h⁻¹ with an average value of 84.80 nGy h⁻¹. The calculated values of external hazard index (H _ex) for the soil samples of the study area range from 0.36 to 0.68. Since these values are lower than unity, according to the Radiation Protection 112 (European Commission, 1999) report, soil from these regions is safe and can be used as construction material without posing any significant radiological threat to population. The corresponding average annual effective dose for indoor and outdoor measured in the study area are 0.42 mSv and 0.10 mSv respectively.