New Test Method for Calibration and Usage of Alpha Detector Systems
1. Scope
1.1This standard establishes methods for calibration, usage, and performance testing of germanium detectors for the measurement of gamma-ray emission rates of radionuclides. It covers the energy and full-energy peak efficiency calibration as well as the determination of gamma-ray energies in the 0.06 to 2-MeV energy region and is designed to yield gamma-ray emission rates with an uncertainty of 3% (see Note 2). 1.2 This method applies primarily to measurements that do not involve overlapping peaks, and in which peak-to-continuum considerations are not important. 1.3 Multichannel Analyzer Counting for Simple Spectra (see Section 16)This technique applies to measurements that do not involve overlapping peaks and those for which the continuum under the full-energy peak can be subtracted without introducing unacceptable error (38). This technique applies to total spectrum counting and single-channel analyzer counting. NOTE 2Uncertainty U is given at the 68% confidence level; that is, where i are the estimated maximum systematic uncertainties, and i are the random uncertainties at the 68% confidence level (2). Other methods of error analysis are in use (3, 4).
