The calibration of a Ge(Li) gamma-ray spectrometer for energy and relative intensity measurements

Abstract

Two aspects of Ge(Li) gamma-ray spectrometry are discussed. The non-linearity of an amplifier-analyzer system was measured using a precision pulser and was checked with gamma-ray standards. The overall accuracy was 2 parts in 104. The relative detection efficiency of gamma-ray full-energy peaks was determined using sources with well measured relative gamma-ray emission rates. Two Ge(Li) detectors with active volumes of 3 cm2 x 0.5 cm and 4 cm2 x 0.5 cm were calibrated in the energy range 80--3200 keV. An overall accuracy of 5% in the energy region from 500-3200 keV and an accuracy of 10% over the entire range was obtained. The relative areas of the single escape peak and double escape peak to the full energy peak as a function of energy are included. The relative intensities of the 569.6, 1063.6 and 1771 keV gamma-rays following the decay of 207Bi were measured.