A Study of the Feasibility of Using a Gas-Filled Proportional Counter as an In-Core High Energy Gamma-Ray Spectrometer.

摘要

The feasibility of using a gas-filled proportional counter as an in-core gamma-ray spectrometer was examined. The detector fill gas was matched to the stainless steel detector wall using general cavity theory considerations. The gas consisted of a mixture of argon,xenon,and methane,with 14C added for calibration purposes,and at a fill pressure of 10atmospheres. The maximum energy deposition in the cylindrical counter,whose length was 1.25in. and whose inside diameter was 0.593in.,was 395keV. Results have shown that pressures of under 5atmospheres should be used in counters of the type examined here. Two types of preamplifiers were used in the work, a proton-recoil type preamplifier and a typical gamma-ray proportional preamplifier. The proton-recoil type preamplifier proved too sensitive for gamma-ray spectroscopy with better results observed while using the typical gamma-ray proportional preamplifier. Energy calibrations were attempted using 14C, 137Cs and 57Co,but results appear inconclusive.