The Radioanalytical Counting Laboratory is equipped numerous detectors for alpha, gamma, and electron counting to directly support the production of radioactive targets and experiments performed at ATLAS.
A Radioanaltyical Counting Laboratory is connected via an adjoining door to the Radioactive Material Handling Laboratory. This convenience is vital for working with radioactive materials as all the steps during a given process can be immediately characterized by alpha and gamma-ray assay. The laboratory is equipped with numerous detectors. Some of interest:
- Two high-precision, gamma-ray spectrometers are available for use; a 2 cm3 LEPS (FWHM: 0.5 keV at 122.06 keV) and a 25% Ge (FWHM: 1.8 keV at 1332.49 keV) which has been placed within a lead shield for low background counting.
- Alpha counting may be performed using small evacuated chambers containing standard surface barrier silicon detectors (FWHM: 15 keV).
- For electron counting, Passivated Implanted Planar Silicon (PIPS) detectors are employed (FWHM: 10 keV).
- Two dedicated MCA’s installed in laboratory PC’s running Canberra GENIE™ software are available along with the permanent NIM electronics needed for these set-ups.
- A mobile NIM system capable of alpha and gamma spectroscopy has been prepared for using in direct support of experimental operations at the ATLAS accelerator.