What Radiation Detecting Device Should I Use?
| Attribute |
Geiger-Mueller
(GM) Tube |
Ion Chamber |
Scintillation |
Proportional Counter |
Semiconductor Detector |
| Radiation Detected |
alpha beta x ray gamma |
alpha beta x ray gamma |
alpha beta x ray gamma neutron |
alpha beta x ray gamma neutron |
alpha beta x ray gamma |
| Sensitive Medium |
Gas |
Gas |
Solid Liquid |
Gas |
Solid |
| Ranges |
0.04 mR/hr to 500 mR/hr |
3 mR/hr to 10,000 R/hr |
0.005 mR/hr to 200 mR/hr or to 800,000 c/m |
to 500,000 c/m |
to 100,000 c/m |
| Output Signal (V) |
1 |
10-6 |
1 |
10-2 |
10-3 |
| Resolving Time (s) |
10-4 |
10-4 |
10-7 |
10-6 |
10-9 |
| Energy Resolution (%) |
N/A |
N/A |
10 |
15 |
1 |
| Use |
- Low dose-rate surveys
- Area monitors
- Personnel radiation monitors
- Low-level contamination surveys
|
- Medium and high dose-rate surveys
- Area monitors
|
- Low-level contamination surveys
- LSC for tritium
|
- Low-level contamination surveys
- Neutron survey
|
- Laboratory
- Some field use
|
| Advantages |
- Large output signal
- Moderate sensitivity
|
- Low energy dependence
- Simple to operate
|
- High sensitivity
- Rapid response
- Good energy resolution
|
|
- Excellent energy response
- Short dead time
|
| Disadvantages |
- Long dead time
- Energy dependent
|
- Slow response
- Low sensitivity
|
|
- Requires stable high-voltage supply
|
- Requires high amplification
|
| Comments |
- Radiation detected depends on the type of GM tube
- May be energy dependent
- Some models saturatedo not use in high radiation fields
- Sensitive to microwave fields
- Rate meter and audible pulse
- Rapid response
- Rugged, dependable
|
- Wide dose-rate range on a single instrument
- Low energy dependence
- Some models can be used in RF fields
- Some models slow to respond
|
- High sensitivity
- Rapid response
- Fragile
- Audible signal and rate meter
- Radiation detected depends on instrument and crystal
- Fast neutron detector where dose rate is not required
|
- Primary use is for alpha detection or neutron surveys
- Alpha detector can discriminate between alpha and beta-gamma
- Neutron detector can discriminate against gamma radiation
- Maintenance may be a problem
|
- Primary use for alpha and gamma counting environmental samples
- May be used for in situ gamma fields
|
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