Characterization of the Si(Li) detector for Monte Carlo calculations of beta spectra

Abstract

A precise model of a Si(Li) detector ORTEC ® model SLP-06165P-OPT-0.5 was created for beta spectra calculations using the Monte Carlo (MC) code MCNPX™. Detector parameters were determined from X-ray radiograms obtained with a film and a Timepix detector. The MC model of the detector was validated by comparison of calculated and experimental full-energy peak efficiencies in the energy range from 5 to 136 keV using a range of point-like photon emitting radionuclide standards. A comparison of measured and calculated beta spectrum of a radionuclide Pm-147 is presented.

Determination of radionuclide impurities in pure beta radiation sources by semiconductor spectrometry

“…The detector was thoroughly characterized; therefore, its Monte Carlo model prepared for the MCNPX code [4] was available. A detailed description of the detector, its characterization, and the model validation have been published in [5]. The source term for beta spectra calculations was defined as a histogram of electron energies derived from the Fermi theory of beta decay.…”

“…2.07(4) 3.00 (3) 3.08 (5) Table 1. Ratio of the 90 Sr/ 90 Y impurity activity to the main nuclide 89 Sr activity (two-window method).…”

Determination of Si(Li) detector efficiency by experimental and Monte Carlo simulation methods

“…In recent years, the use of the Monte Carlo technique to simulate the efficiency of a detector in x-and γ-ray spectroscopy has become extensively popular [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. However, some inconsistencies between the simulated and the experimental efficiencies have been reported in the literature [10][11][12][13][14], for many types of detectors.…”