Improved Method for the Stabilization of NaI-Photomultiplier gamma Detectors Against Thermal and Other Drift.

摘要

Alpha peaks have been used as part of servo systems to stabilize NaI-photomultiplier gamma detectors against drift. However, alpha peaks shift with temperature change differently than do gamma peaks, thus spoiling what would otherwise be a workable scheme for stabilizing against probably the most serious source of NaI-p.m. detector drift, namely thermal effects. It has been found possible to accurately compensate for the difference in the shift with temperature versus gamma peaks using the signal derived from a thermistor in thermal contact with the NaI crystal to control the bias of a discriminator in the servo circuit. The servo circuit utilizing this principle has been used in commercial multichannel analyzers of the type intended for field use under adverse ambient conditions. (ERA citation 10:028580)