1An Introduction to Gamma Ray Spectrum

Analysis
An experiment to determine the Gamma Detector Resolution
Tenicka T. Turnquest
Advanced Laboratory
Department of Physics and Engineering
Morehouse o!!ege
At!anta" #eorgia
Abstract
This artic!e gives a brief !ook into the history of gamma $rays and their app!ications. This inc!udes a brief description of the
gamma ray spectrum" gamma$ray production and reso!ution. More precise!y" the %ave!ength and energy of gamma rays is
depicted as a part of the e!ectromagnetic spectrum. The reso!ution of gamma$rays is ana!ogous in si&e to the ratio of the distance
bet%een points on the tota! absorption peak and the pu!se height at the center of the tota! absorption peak. 'ithin this e(periment
the reso!ution of the )a* +T*, detector for Co and Cs
-. 1/0
gamma rays is ana!y&ed.
Introduction
The e!ectromagnetic spectrum is the co!!ection of a!! e!ectromagnetic radiation. *t can be vie%ed
as a co!!ection of photons a!! moving at the speed of !ight %ith different energy and %ave!engths.
The %ave!ength" energy and frequency of each type of radiation differ and have specific va!ues
over a kno%n range of va!ues. The frequency of a photon is the quotient of the speed of !ight and
the %ave!ength of photon +c1,. The period of a photon is the inverse of its frequency. The
energy of a photon in the e!ectromagnetic spectrum is given by the quotient of the product of
P!anck2s constant and the speed of !ight and %ave!ength of the photon +hc1,.

Gamma-rays
#amma$rays e(hibit %ave!engths bet%een 1. and 1.. femto$meters %ith energies from 134 ke5
to 13.4 Me5.+Moore" p//,
keV eV
J
eV
s
m
s J
hc
hf E
h
134 / . 134160
1. -.3 . 1
1
1. 1.
1. . . / 1. -/ . -
17 13
8 /4
=

= = =

MeV eV
J
eV
s
m
s J
hc
hf E
l
4 . 13 /4 . 134160/.
1. -.3 . 1
1
1. 1..
1. . . / 1. -/ . -
17 16
8 /4
=

= = =

E(. Photon in +9ed !ight, 5isib!e !ight portion of the E!ectromagnetic spectrum
MeV keV eV
J
eV
s
m
s J
hc
hf E
r
4 . 13 134 806 . 1
1. -.3 . 1
1
1. --/
1. . . / 1. -/ . -
17 7
8 /4
<< < =

= = =

#amma radiation is
The energy of a photon is inverse!y proportiona! its %ave!ength" it fo!!o%s natura!!y that the
energy of a photon %ith a re!ative!y sma!! %ave!ength +gamma$rays +....1$1.. fm,, %ou!d have
abundant!y more energy than a photon %ith re!ative!y !arge %ave!engths +visib!e +4..$7..nm,,.

Gamma Ray Detection
9adioactive materia!s decay into a!pha" beta and gamma partic!es. *n order to detect gamma rays"
there has to be a mechanism %hich absorbs the a!pha and beta partic!es" but %hich a!!o% the
gamma partic!es to pass through. *n genera! to detect gamma$rays" e!ectrons are captured during
a decay process by a radioactive samp!e !ike sodium iodide +)a* +T!,, or #ermanium #e +Li,.
:odium *odide is the more preva!ent!y used materia! for scinti!!ation detectors because
#ermanium has to be housed in a container using !iquid nitrogen to keep the density profi!e of
the !ithium drifting %ithin this radioactive samp!e. There are t%o important quantities %hich are
determined %hen detecting gamma rays; the energy from the gamma source and the number of
gamma rays %hich are !iberated from the source.
<igh 5o!tage
Po%er :upp!y
Linear Amp!ifier
Mu!ti$channe!
Ana!y&er
Printer
P!otter
Te!etype
PM Tube
=igure 1. omponents of a #amma :pectrometry :ystem.
Compton Effect
Most so!id substances have crysta!!ine structures. A crysta! is a so!id made up of a co!!ection of
!attice points %ith a kno%n motif and pattern. More precise!y" a crysta! structure is a space
!attice +/$dimensiona! organi&ation of mo!ecu!es in space, made up a periodica!!y repetitive unit
ce!!s. 'here a unit ce!! is defined by the points in space about %hich partic!es are free to vibrate
in a crysta!. There are e(act!y fourteen +14, distinct %ays to construct a pattern of points %ithout
a!tering the basic symmetry e!ements of respective ce!!s. The 14 possib!e %ays of constructing a
crysta! structure %ith a!!o%ab!e symmetry are ca!!ed >ravais !attices. A >ravais !attice is a space
!attice %ith a distinct rotation a(is" center of symmetry and rotary inversion a(is.

Results
Cesium 137 Photopeak
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85
Channel
C
e
n
t
r
o
i
d

C
h
a
n
n
e
l
Counts
y = -136.9x2 + 17052x - 494948
R2 = 0.7671
Discussion
Bibliography
#.=. ?no!!" Radiation Detection and Measurement .'i!ey" )@.1707
Moore" Thomas A." Six Ideas That Shaped Physics: Unit E!
nd
ed Mc#ra% <i!!" )@.3../
Auantum 8 Pre!iminary Bperation Manua! The "ucleus" Bak 9idge" T). 1783.