Modeling, Simulation and Characterization of Solid State Radiation Detectors

Abstract

The thesis involves the investigation of the important characteristics (Energy resolution, full energy photo-peak efficiency) of High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector for gamma-ray spectrometry experiments. The measurements were performed in a low background radiation environment. The detector was calibrated using standard γ-ray sources. The data obtained were analyzed using S-100 software. The detector energy resolution and full energy peak (FEP) efficiency were determined as 1.94 keV/ channel and ~30%, respectively. The detector was found suitable for radiometric analysis with gamma rays in the energy range ~0.1 to~10 MeV. The calibrated detector was used for radioactivity analysis of natural samples having a wide range of activity. In order to initiate a radiological assessment program a baseline map of radioactivity background levels in the surrounding environment in soil samples from El-Golan, El-Nizal and El-Askar districts, Al Fallujah in Iraq were measured by a γ spectrometer. The activity concentration of radionuclides 232Th, 40 K, 238U, and 137Cs in the eleven solid samples considered were determined by means of a gamma-ray spectrometry system using a hyper-pure germanium (HPGe) detector in a low background configuration.