MOSSBAUER SPECTROMETER RADIATION DETECTOR

• US 3,781,562 A
• Filed: 12/08/1972
• Issued: 12/25/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jag J. Singh
• Original Assignee: Jag J. Singh
• Inventors: Singh, Jag J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dixon, Harold A.
• Application Number:
  US05/313,381
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• Field of Search: 250/276,361,367,458,485,486
• US Class Current: 250/360.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/095 Gamma-ray resonance absorption, e.g. using the Mössbauer effect
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/202 the detector being a crystal
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 1/12 Resonant absorbers or driving arrangements therefor, e.g. for Moessbauer-effect devices motors with reciprocating, oscillating or vibrating magnet, armature or coil system in general H02K33/00

Abstract

The invention is a versatile Mossbauer spectrometer with high efficiencies in both transmission and backscattering techniques. The heart of the invention is a detector which includes an NaI(T1) crystal for detecting radiation caused by the Mossbauer effect. The crystal has a hole in its center to allow the collimated incident radiation to pass through and it is coupled through two quartz optical windows to two photomultipliers such that all of the scintillation radiation produced by the radiation detected by the crystal will flow into the two photomultipliers. When used in a transmission technique the sample or scatterer is placed between the incident radiation source and the detector; and when used in a backscattering technique the detector is placed between the incident radiation source and the sample or scatterer such that the incident radiation will pass through the hole in the crystal and strike the sample.

Claims

1. A detector for use in a Mossbauer spectrometer wherein a beam source of gamma rays irradiates a sample for producing secondary gamma rays characteristic of the Mossbauer effect comprising:

a crystal having a composition suitable for detecting radiation caused by the Mossbauer effect and having a hole in it for passing the substantially unattenuated primary radiation of said beam source of gamma rays, and two photomultipliers connected to two sides of said crystal such that substantially all of the scintillation radiation produced by the radiation detected by said crystal flows out of said crystal into said two photomultipliers.

2. A detector according to claim 1 wherein the composition oF said crystal is NaI(T1).

3. A detector according to claim 1 wherein said crystal is coupled to said two photomultipliers through two quartz optical windows.

4. A detector according to claim 3 including a beryllium window on each side of said hole.

5. A detector according to claim 3 including means for summing the outputs of said two photomultipliers.

6. A detector according to claim 5 including means for equalizing the sensitivities of the two photomultipliers.