Detecting Alpha Particles through Scintillation In Porous Materials

This thesis presents the results of a preliminary study of parameters essential to the development of a scintillation flow-cell detector with improved characteristics over existing cells. Such a detector with better than 10% alpha energy resolution could provide in situ capability to detect and iden...

Descrición completa

Gardado en:
Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor Principal: Keillor, Martin E.
Formato: text
Publicado: AFIT Scholar 1994
Subjects:
Acceso en liña:https://scholar.afit.edu/etd/6363
https://scholar.afit.edu/context/etd/article/7366/viewcontent/AFIT_GAP_ENP_94D_05_Keillor_M_ADA289313_Redacted.pdf
Tags: Engadir etiqueta
Sen Etiquetas, Sexa o primeiro en etiquetar este rexistro!
_version_ 1870452451834855424
author Keillor, Martin E.
author_facet Keillor, Martin E.
author_sort Keillor, Martin E.
building US Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT)
collection AFIT Scholar
description This thesis presents the results of a preliminary study of parameters essential to the development of a scintillation flow-cell detector with improved characteristics over existing cells. Such a detector with better than 10% alpha energy resolution could provide in situ capability to detect and identify important alpha-emitting radionuclides in dilute aqueous solutions. Gel-silica is a potential candidate that may provide the needed improvement in resolution while maintaining 100% detection efficiency; however, gel-silica with useful light output is yet to be developed. As a step toward realizing the system described, the dependence of alpha detection efficiency and intrinsic energy resolution on the phase dimensions in heterogeneous scintillation detectors is examined. Two main areas of this research are: (1) computer modeling of the geometric detection efficiency and intrinsic energy resolution in porous glass scintillation detectors, and (2) experiments designed to test model predictions and provide data on the detection of alphas in porous glass structures. Experimental emphasis is on alpha detection in gel-silica filled with liquid scintillant. Results show that phase dimensions must be considered in constructing a flow-cell detector for alpha spectroscopy, and that the dimensions available in gel-silica provide for excellent intrinsic energy resolution, as well as 100% detection efficiency.
format text
id afit-etd-7366
institution US Air Force Institute of Technology
publishDate 1994
publisher AFIT Scholar
record_format dspace
spelling afit-etd-7366 Detecting Alpha Particles through Scintillation In Porous Materials Keillor, Martin E. This thesis presents the results of a preliminary study of parameters essential to the development of a scintillation flow-cell detector with improved characteristics over existing cells. Such a detector with better than 10% alpha energy resolution could provide in situ capability to detect and identify important alpha-emitting radionuclides in dilute aqueous solutions. Gel-silica is a potential candidate that may provide the needed improvement in resolution while maintaining 100% detection efficiency; however, gel-silica with useful light output is yet to be developed. As a step toward realizing the system described, the dependence of alpha detection efficiency and intrinsic energy resolution on the phase dimensions in heterogeneous scintillation detectors is examined. Two main areas of this research are: (1) computer modeling of the geometric detection efficiency and intrinsic energy resolution in porous glass scintillation detectors, and (2) experiments designed to test model predictions and provide data on the detection of alphas in porous glass structures. Experimental emphasis is on alpha detection in gel-silica filled with liquid scintillant. Results show that phase dimensions must be considered in constructing a flow-cell detector for alpha spectroscopy, and that the dimensions available in gel-silica provide for excellent intrinsic energy resolution, as well as 100% detection efficiency. 1994-12-01T08:00:00Z text application/pdf https://scholar.afit.edu/etd/6363 https://scholar.afit.edu/context/etd/article/7366/viewcontent/AFIT_GAP_ENP_94D_05_Keillor_M_ADA289313_Redacted.pdf Theses and Dissertations AFIT Scholar Alpha rays Scintillation counters Porous materials Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics
spellingShingle Alpha rays
Scintillation counters
Porous materials
Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics
Keillor, Martin E.
Detecting Alpha Particles through Scintillation In Porous Materials
title Detecting Alpha Particles through Scintillation In Porous Materials
title_full Detecting Alpha Particles through Scintillation In Porous Materials
title_fullStr Detecting Alpha Particles through Scintillation In Porous Materials
title_full_unstemmed Detecting Alpha Particles through Scintillation In Porous Materials
title_short Detecting Alpha Particles through Scintillation In Porous Materials
title_sort detecting alpha particles through scintillation in porous materials
topic Alpha rays
Scintillation counters
Porous materials
Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics
url https://scholar.afit.edu/etd/6363
https://scholar.afit.edu/context/etd/article/7366/viewcontent/AFIT_GAP_ENP_94D_05_Keillor_M_ADA289313_Redacted.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT keillormartine detectingalphaparticlesthroughscintillationinporousmaterials